Tours Travel

Dark Souls III – Should you play it?

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First off, I got Platinum in both Scholar of the First Sin and Dark Souls 3. Okay, that last part is bullshit. I still need Master of Miracles for Dark Souls 3 (getting rid of the Concord Kepts from the Silver Knights in Anor Londo… ) But still, I’ve played both games more times than I can count.

So how difficult is it? Average. Dark Souls has this reputation of being difficult, but I don’t think it is. Yes, enemies hit hard. But you too.

There are no “bullet sponges” here. Did you get hit by half your health bar? Guess what, you can hit them back for about the same. You’ll die a lot, and unlike many other games, there’s not an overly generous checkpoint system.

But know this: My son (with a little help from SunBro from me) beat Dark Souls 2, including the DLC, when he was 11 years old. He had just finished Dark Souls 3 last weekend. he is 13

With that said, after hundreds of hours spent on Dark Souls 3, here is my short review.

Let’s start with the negative things first:

The Poise system is poorly designed (last I checked, there is a belief among the community that the Poise system in fact doesn’t work at all. There is supposed to be code in the game that would allow a working Poise system, but it was removed or ‘turned off’ before release. The developers, to my knowledge, deny it, which is fine. But that means they handled the mechanic very, very poorly).

“It’s working as intended.” So you intended for it to malfunction…

What is balance and why is it important?

Every time you hit an enemy, you have a chance, depending on their poise and your weapon, to interrupt their movement (preventing them from dodging, dashing, rolling, and most importantly, attacking).

This is called wobble. The movement is interrupted and they are hit. A stunned enemy is a defenseless enemy. A dead enemy.

This system applies to both you and enemies in the game.

How poise used to work: In previous Dark Souls games, you could wear armor that would increase your poise, making it harder to stagger and interrupt your attacks.

How it works now: It doesn’t. Any enemy can interrupt most attacks with any weapon you use.

At first, it might not seem that bad, until you get to the second Dark Souls 3 bug, and possibly my biggest complaint regarding the game.

Absolutely all enemies attack faster than you (and have a longer range), no matter what weapon you’re using. Do they have a great sword the size of a house? They can initiate an attack with that faster than you can stab with a dagger. His dagger? He will hit you as your greatsword whips through the air in front of his face.

So if you’re the kind of player who likes to trade blows with enemies… you’ll ALWAYS be stunned.

Your only option now is to dodge everything, all the time. And that’s fine. If that is the style of play you want to choose. People have been doing it this way since Demon Souls. But there was always an option.

I like being a fast ninja. But there are also times when I get tired of this game’s crap and want to put on heavy armor, pull out a flaming ultra-great sword and go to town!

In the past, you could choose heavy armor and a great sword and trade blows with an enemy. Yes, it would hurt you, but you would hurt them more. A fully viable playstyle that no longer works.

And good. That’s how this game is supposedly designed. But the claim that Dark Souls has such a deep combat system? I don’t think that’s true with this installment.

For a game that relies heavily on combat… That’s a huge step backwards.

One more complaint:

The covenant system. This is not a big deal if you are not a trophy hunter. It is entirely possible to play the full game and enjoy it without having to mess around with most of the pacts.

But if you are looking for the Platinum trophy? Get ready to grind. Much. Because while the multiplayer system has been improved over games of the past, there are still a couple of broken conventions that will require a LOT of time sitting around waiting to be summoned or fighting. Expect an average of 6 hours killing the same enemies over and over and over and over and over and over…

(I’m looking at you Blades of the Darkmoon…)

Ok, so what is good?

Pretty much everything else.

The environments are beautiful and fun to explore. I can’t think of a single area where I came in and said “UGH. This again.” (In the first Dark Souls, I found almost everything after Sen’s Fortress to be cheap and tedious.)

The weapons and armor, everything really, looks amazing.

There’s a lot of variation in enemies, and they make sense for the environments they’re found in.

Multiplayer is always open to opinion. I think it’s pretty balanced if you play smart. Others will not agree. If you’re a crybaby and don’t like being outnumbered when you invade, you’re not going to love the way Dark Souls 3 handles things.

Matchmaking has improved a lot. This time you can easily cooperate with your friends thanks to password matching.

Finally, one of my favorite improvements: for the first time, all armor sets are useful! You no longer need to update them. And ALL are functional. Most weapons are also viable.

The developers have given you an incredible arsenal to choose from, and it all works. Even the poorest weapons are adequate to handle enemies in the game.

Bottom line: Is it fun? Yes. Is it frustrating? Something often. Is it worth buying? Yes. Are there other games like this that are better? No.

Do I resent developers? A little!

If I had to rate it, I’d start with a 10 for all the amazing things this game does well. I would then take 3 points off for the broken fight and settle for a 7. Yes, this game has a lot going for it. But you’re going to have to put up with some unnecessary frustration (in my opinion) to enjoy it.

Fix the Poise boys!

Arts Entertainments

17 reasons why God sends earthquakes in different places – Part 1

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Earthquakes are defined as a sudden and violent shaking of the ground, sometimes causing great destruction, as a result of movements within the earth’s crust or volcanic action. In recent years we have seen a dramatic increase in the number of earthquakes in various or different places as well as the intensity in their magnitudes. As we see the numbers increase daily, we must ask ourselves why God sends earthquakes in different places. Here are the 17 biblical reasons why God allows earthquakes to shake the foundations of this world.

#1 Reason why big earthquakes happen:

When angels descend from heaven on earth.

Biblical references:

Matthew 28:2
Suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and rolled away the stone and sat on it.

#2 Reason why big earthquakes happen:

Earthquakes make humanity recognize that Jesus is the Son of God and recognize him as Lord

Biblical references:

Matthew 27:50-54
Then Jesus cried out again and released his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split and the tombs opened. The bodies of many godly men and women who had died were raised from the dead. They left the cemetery after the resurrection of Jesus, entered the holy city of Jerusalem and appeared to many people.

The Roman officer and the other soldiers at the crucifixion were terrified of the earthquake and all that had happened. They said, “This man truly was the Son of God!”

And many women who had come from Galilee with Jesus to take care of him, looked from afar.

#3 Reason why big earthquakes happen:

Earthquakes awaken people from their sleep both naturally and spiritually and bring both resurrection and revival.

Biblical references:
Matthew 27:50-53

And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and gave up his spirit. Then, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks split, and the graves opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were resurrected; and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection, they entered the holy city and appeared to many.

Matthew 28:6-7
He is not here; because he has risen, as he said he. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and that he is certainly going before you into Galilee; there you will see it. Look, I told you.”

#4 Reason why big earthquakes happen:

Earthquakes open prison doors, shake foundations, awaken people, set captives free, and bring salvation to the lost. Earthquakes occur to bring light to those who are sitting in dungeons (inner prisons) and in darkness.

Biblical references:

Acts 16:23-36
And when they had been beaten many times, they were thrown into prison, ordering the jailer to keep them safe. Having received such a charge, he put them into the inner prison and bound their feet in stocks.

But at midnight, Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison shook; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed. And the prison guard, waking from sleep and seeing the prison doors open, thinking that the prisoners had escaped, drew his sword and was about to take his own life. But Paul called with a loud voice, saying: Don’t hurt yourself, because we are all here.

Then he called for light, ran in and fell trembling in front of Paul and Silas. And leading them out, he said, Gentlemen, what must I do to be saved?

Then they said: Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your house. Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them at the same time of night and washed their stripes. And immediately he and all his family were baptized. And when he had brought them into his house, he put food before them; and he rejoiced that he had believed in God with all his house.

And when it was morning, the magistrates sent the officers, saying, “Let those men go.”

Then the jailer communicated these words to Paul, saying: The magistrates have sent to let you go. Now, then, go and go in peace.

#5 Reasons why large earthquakes occur:

Earthquakes occur to show the beginning of sorrows, they signal the coming of Jesus and the end of the world.

Biblical references:

Matthew 24:7-8
The nations and kingdoms of the earth will rise up against each other, and there will be famines and earthquakes in many places. But all this will only be the beginning of the horrors to come.

Mark 13:8
Because nations and kingdoms will proclaim war against each other, and there will be earthquakes in many lands, and famines. These herald only the early stages of the anguish to come.

Luke 21:7-11
Master! they exclaimed. When? And will there be any warning ahead of time?

He replied, “Don’t let anyone fool you. Because many will come announcing themselves as the Messiah and saying, ‘The time has come.’ But don’t believe them! Don’t panic. it will follow immediately, because nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be great earthquakes, and famines in many lands, and epidemics, and terrible things will happen in the heavens.

As we look at world news events and line them up with God’s Word, we are actually seeing an increase in earthquakes as we get closer to the coming of Christ. This reason was so important for us to understand that it was repeated three times in the gospels. By the mouth of two or three witnesses every word will be established.

#6 Reason why big earthquakes happen:

Earthquakes occur after the Lord passes through the earth and before He speaks

Biblical references:
1 Kings 19:11-12

And he said, Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord. And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and mighty wind split the mountains, and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord; but Jehovah was not in the wind; and after the wind, an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake:

And after the earthquake a fire; but Jehovah was not in the fire; And after the fire a still small voice.

#7 Reasons why large earthquakes occur:

Earthquakes come to bring anguish and judgment. These earthquakes happen suddenly in an instant when the Lord of Hosts visits a city to bring wrath and judgment on that land.

Biblical references:

Isaiah 26:1-6
Woe to Jerusalem, the city of David! Year after year you make your many offerings, but I will send severe judgment upon you, and there will be weeping and sadness. Because Jerusalem will become, as her name “Ariel” means, an altar covered in blood. I will be your enemy, I will surround Jerusalem and besiege it, and I will build fortresses around it to destroy it. Your voice will whisper like a ghost from the earth where you lie buried.

But suddenly your ruthless enemies will be blown away like chaff before the wind. In an instant, I, the Lord of Hosts, will come upon them with thunder, earthquakes, whirlwinds and fire.

#8 Reason why big earthquakes occur:

The earthquakes come after the seer prophets have warned and there is no repentance. Earthquakes happen when the Lord roars from heaven and speaks his voice. There will be mourning of the peoples and the mountains will dry up because of the punishment for disobedience.

Biblical references:

Amos 1:1-5
Amos was a shepherd who lived in the town of Tekoa. All day he sat on the slopes of the hills watching over the sheep, keeping them from going astray. One day, in a vision, God told him some of the things that were going to happen to his nation, Israel. This vision came to him when Uzziah was king of Judah and when Jeroboam (son of Joash) was king of Israel, two years before the earthquake.

This is the report of what he saw and heard: The Lord roared, like a ferocious lion from his den, from his Temple on Mount Zion. And suddenly the lush pastures of Mount Carmel dried up and dried up, and all the shepherds mourned.

The Lord says, “The people of Damascus have sinned again and again, and I will not forget it. I will not leave them unpunished anymore. For they have threshed my people in Gilead as grain is threshed with rods of iron. King Hazael’s palace, destroying the strong fortress of
Ben-hadad. I will break the bolts that locked the gates of Damascus and kill his people as far as the plain of Aven, and the people of Syria will return to Kir as slaves.” The Lord has spoken.

#9 Reason why big earthquakes occur:

Earthquakes occur on the Day of Battle

Biblical references:

Zechariah 14:1-5
Beware, because the day of the Lord is coming soon! On that day the Lord will gather the nations to fight against Jerusalem; the city will be taken, the houses looted, the loot distributed, the women raped; half of the population will be taken as slaves, and the other half will remain in what is left of the city.

Then the Lord will go out armed for war, to fight against those nations. On that day his feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem, and the Mount of Olives will split in two, forming a very wide valley that will run from east to west, because half of the mountain will move toward the west. north and the other half to the south. You will escape through that valley, because it will reach the city gate. Yes, you will escape as your people did many centuries ago from the earthquake in the days of Uzziah, king of Judah, and the Lord my God will come, and all his saints and angels with him.

Technology

A ringtone Milli

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Lil Wayne’s A Milli ringtone has quickly become one of the most popular ringtones in the world. It has peaked at number 4 on several popular mobile charts and is currently number 15 on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles chart. Based on its popularity, the ringtone could soon become one of the most popular mobile phone ringtones ever released.

A Milli is a track, second single, and official street single from Lil Wayne’s sixth studio album, Tha Carter III. Lil Wayne stated that multiple versions of the track will be included on Tha Carter III as “sketch-like” tracks, featuring artists such as Tyga, Cory Gunz, Hurricane Chris, and Lil Mama. These tracks then failed to make the final cut for Tha Carter III.

The single has peaked at number 14 so far on the Billboard Hot 100, making it Lil Wayne’s fourth top forty hit on the chart as a lead artist. It has peaked at number 4 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, making it his third top ten song on that chart and tying it with “Go DJ” as his second highest charting song. It is also his fourth top ten hit on the Hot Rap Tracks chart, peaking at number 3.

The popularity of the song has helped make A Milli such a popular phone ringtone. The track also topped the Canadian and Australian music charts, making the ringtone very popular in those nations and in the United States.

There is no doubt that Lil Wayne’s incredible new hit will end up being one of the most popular ringtones of 2008 in the United States. If he is looking for a cool new ringtone for his cell phone, A Milli ringtone is a great choice!

Business

How to winterize your kayak properly

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If you are someone just starting out with kayaking, it is important that you take the time to learn how to store your kayak for the winter. Winter storage is something many people miss out on and then when they go to pick up their kayak for a kayak trip in the spring, they find that it doesn’t look or function the same.

These are the main things you need to know to store it correctly.

Clean the outside thoroughly

The first thing to do is make sure you hose down the entire kayak first. This will remove any dirt, salt, or other substances that may have accumulated during summer runs.

A typical garden hose will work just fine for this, just be sure to clean all sides as best you can.

Don’t neglect the inside

Once you have finished cleaning the exterior, the next step is to clean the interior as well. Water will usually get into the kayak as you ride the waves and if salt builds up there over the winter it could weaken the boat.

Don’t forget to also clean inside and around the handles; each area should be washed with clean water.

stand at an angle

Once you’ve finished thinning it, the next thing to do is stand it upright at an angle. This will allow all the water to drain off and then when you store it, if it rains or snows (if you are storing it outside), the water will drain off as well.

You never want to let water sit in your kayak and pool when you store it for the winter.

Add a cover

Finally, if you plan to store it outside and the area you’re thinking of gets a fair amount of sunlight, then you should also cover it with some sort of tarp or other material.

This will be important to protect it from UV rays, which can really damage your boat.

So keep these tips in mind to store your kayak for the winter. If you do them immediately after finishing your last trip, then you know that you will be able to pick up your kayak again next year in the same condition in which you left it.

Home Kitchen

7 tips for renovating on a tight budget

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You may have big dreams for your home remodeling project. And they may need a big budget. However, if you are on a budget, you can shop around. This way you can save a lot of money. Below are our top 7 tips that can help you get there.

1. Know your limits

If you don’t know your limits, you may end up wasting a lot of money on your DIY project. Therefore, it is important that you know your limits. For example, you may want to leave plumbing, electrical, and structural work to professionals. Be sure to get recommendations before hiring professionals.

2. Get a urine job

The good news is that you can do a lot of work with your family and friends. A package of barbecue and a few drinks can go a long way. Below is a list of tasks you can do with a few helping hands.

· Tile work

Assembly of a flat-pack kitchen

· Floor polishing

landscaping

fencing

· Frame

3 DIY lessons

For basic DIY tasks, you need to have some tools and some working knowledge. You can get both from a reputable hardware store. You can also sign up for a DIY workshop.

Also, if some of your friends know the trades, you can talk to them and get their help. You can also “shoot” them to get some essential tips and lessons for using the tools. If you don’t have the tools, you can borrow or rent them.

4. Buy gold online at auctions

By shopping around, you can save big on supplies, labor, and other materials. You can use your negotiating skills for discontinued sales. Although comparing prices will cost you some time, you will get what you want.

5. Long-term savings

If you’re on a tight budget, you may not think much of the long-term savings by purchasing materials or technology that use less energy. Below are some energy saving ideas for you.

Solar panels

quality insulation

rainwater tanks

Led lights

6. Be creative

With “ambient” lighting and new paint, you can make a big impact. These things are also affordable. For example, by repainting or recoating your sinks, bathtubs, and bathroom tiles, you can beautify your home without spending a lot of money.

It’s also a good idea to visit good color consultants and showroom staff. The experts will give you some ideas on how you can best make your remodel.

7. Commitment

While committing isn’t easy, you can set your expectations based on your budget. For this, we suggest that you write down your list of things that you absolutely need, as well as other good things. This will save you many dollars.

So if you are looking to renovate your home on a tight budget. We suggest you follow these 7 tips. Hopefully, you’ll have a lot of fun remodeling your house.

Auto

Global Products Division

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Global product divisions are part of the organizational structure of a multinational when the main division of the company’s activities is based on product (or service) categories. For example, an automobile manufacturing company may be divided primarily into a truck division, a passenger car division, and an SUV division; Or a large professional services firm may be divided into audit, business advisory, information technology, and tax divisions. Each of these “global product divisions” can then be divided into various geographic (eg, Americas, Africa-Middle East, Asia-Pacific, Europe) and/or market (eg, corporate, government, and private customers) subdivisions. ). The strategic logic behind the global product division is the need to concentrate resources at the product (or product group) level.

Thus, in the automobile example above, the company may feel that these three markets are quite independent and that appointing a separate management team for each division will allow each to focus on their markets and thus develop their own interests. business and compete more effectively. Furthermore, CK Prahalad and Gary Hamel and other advocates of the resource-based view of the firm would insist that the firm should be structured around the key resources that give it a sustainable competitive advantage. So, for example, a certain set of products might be based on certain technologies and competencies, and a global product division is a natural structure to house these products and resources. Traditionally, a global product division had control over most of the value chain relevant to its market.

For example, Procter & Gamble (P&G) has three global product divisions, namely Global Beauty, Global Home Care, and Global Health & Wellness (as well as a Global Operations division). Thus, the Global Beauty division would have its own manufacturing facilities, suppliers, brands, distribution network and service department. However, contemporary managerial and organizational approaches have downplayed the desirability of this type of control for two sets of reasons. First, as Stephen Young and Ana Teresa Tavares state, full autonomy is not necessarily an optimal situation.

In this sense, authors such as Julian Birkinshaw have suggested that the global company in general is better off with coordination mechanisms between its global divisions that seek to find economies of scale, economies of scope and other efficiencies and synergies. Thus, the normative tendency would be to share information systems, production, installations and services between its product divisions; and P&G’s Global Operations division would be mandated to facilitate many of these synergies.

Another popular contemporary approach is the “outsourcing” (or offshoring) of parts of the value chain, such as the production of various components or a service call center, to an external service provider. For example, Stanley Holmes writes that Boeing is outsourcing more than 70 percent of the 787’s fuselage, allowing Italian, Japanese, and Russian engineering firms to design and build significant parts of the fuselage and wings. The benefits of these programs include cost reduction and building relationships with potential customers. For example, Kristien Coucke and Leo Sleuwaegen report on a recent study in which offshoring programs increase the probability of survival of Belgian manufacturing companies.

However, there is a general acceptance and adoption of global product divisions by multinational companies. This is especially the case for corporations moving away from international division structures: Over time, domestic and international businesses recombine and then divide into product, market, or geographic structures. However, throughout the same development process, these structures often continue to evolve into some sort of matrix, whereby managerial authority descends into the business through two (or sometimes three) dimensions. For example, one dimension might be like the global product structure responsible for various offerings, and the other might be geographic.

A more advanced stage of development would be what Chris Bartlett and Sumantra Ghoshal call the “transnational” structure, whereby the company develops a dual capability to deal with both local (national) and global contingencies.

Digital Marketing

Google Analytics Tutorial: Visitors, Visits, Page Views, Distinctive Page Views

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Do you know how to interpret Google Analytics data, such as visits and page views?

Clicks, visits, website visitors, page views and unique page views are in many cases misinterpreted website visitor statistics recorded by Google Analytics. Online businesses read about variations while perusing any Google Analytics tutorial. This makes it possible to distinguish the related jargon used for numerous analyzes presented. Through proper customer insight experience, site owners will be able to tailor the focus of online marketing efforts to address weaknesses while also capitalizing on strengths.

Clicks are actually a research part of Google AdWords strategies, while visits are reported as part of website visitors and search engine reports. The amount in the mouse clicks column presents how often the traffic ads were clicked. Visits denotes the number of unique visits initiated for visitors. Both statistics are crucial from a marketing and advertising perspective.

These particular figures will not match up consistently, for several good reasons. The same visitor to your site may well select an ad over and over again as they’re comparing purchases, causing AdWords to record a number of mouse clicks. Analytics, however, is capable of distinguishing each and every pageview for a single visit. A user can also click on an ad just once and bookmark it to return directly to the site for their next visit. In this case, the referrer details of the preliminary page visit end up being saved, resulting in a single click generating numerous visitors.

Website visitors sometimes click their mouse on an ad, but stop the entire website page from loading by pressing their web browser’s stop key or perhaps by moving to another web page mid-load. However, Ppc will track the click, although the tracking code within Analytics will not be fully implemented, as the tracking details are not sent to Google’s web servers. On the other hand, Google AdWords filters out an incorrect ad click to help maintain intended accuracy for billing purposes, while Analytics captures all of these mouse clicks and documents them as website visits to present comprehensive data regarding Visits to the website visitor’s page.

Google Analytics measures the numbers of visits and visitors to the site. Visits represent the number of individual sessions for all website traffic. Any action following an inactive duration of at least half an hour is recognized as a new visit. When a person leaves this website and returns within half an hour, the activity will be considered as a single visit. An individual’s initial session during any date range is considered one more visit and one additional visitor to the website. The next session with that website visitor during the time period is considered an additional visit, but the visitor is not an additional visitor.

A page view is actually a look at a web page that is tracked by an Analytics traffic monitoring code. When the visitor refreshes that web page after landing on it, the reloaded web page is recorded as a different page view. If the user navigates to the next web page on the web page and then returns to their original Internet page, it will be counted as a second page view. A unique page view symbolizes the number of visits when a particular Internet page has been viewed at least once.

This is a small sample of the terminology clarified in a Google Analytics guide. Before getting going when it comes to Google Analytics, site owners should really invest some time to appreciate such words and phrases. Learning the correct explanations helps website owners recognize exactly what the details reveal so that they can use this data to increase potential internet website marketing initiatives.

If you want to learn more about Google Analytics and how to make sense of all the data presented in your reports, visit our Marketing Analytics page and sign up for a free evaluation of your website data TODAY!

Health Fitness

Diet, Exercise and Supplements

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Everyone wants to live a long and healthy life and in today’s age it is certainly possible. People face a lot of tough decisions when it comes to choosing the best supplements, diets, exercises, and workout gear, and who could blame them? Every day the list grows of the best way to lose weight, build muscle, and get the physique you’ve always dreamed of. Even now, more than ever, there are emerging supplements marketed to those trying to shed extra pounds and transform their bodies into lean, sculpted figures.

With all this growth in the industry and all the big name brands launching new products, how can you really be sure what works and what doesn’t? Personally, I have spent a fair amount of time in the gym, lifting weights and lifting weights. I have spent countless hours training, exercising, trying new routines and learning many new workouts. During this time, I also tried a variety of different supplements for both diet and training.

When it comes to choosing a solid pre-workout, there have been many who have definitely stood their ground. (Of course, the supplements mentioned are personal preferences and can affect people differently) I’m someone who could be said to love caffeine. I drink about 3 cups of coffee a day starting with “double shot” at the strength level and gradually work my way down. When looking for a good pre-workout, one of the things I look for is something that has a higher than average amount of caffeine. While I don’t get too into the nitty gritty, I have found the strongest PWO’s (I mean feel the energy boost) to be Bullnox, and the all new Superpump 250 reformulated with DMAA. These 2 supplements definitely pack a bigger scoop and punch, but also lean towards the pricier side. Another way I can personally measure strength is by the tingling sensation I feel throughout my body, and these 2 really give that feeling.

The pump these PWOs bring is quite substantial. I can see the difference in the weeks off the PWO in that my training intensity not only decreases, but the amount of time before I fatigue is noticeably shorter as well. I don’t want to discredit any other PWO as they all get the job done to varying degrees, but I find that these give me the most focus and keep my momentum going the highest in the gym, which means focused intensity. After finishing a great workout, it is essential to consume some protein and possibly a meal to replenish and help rebuild muscles and recharge your body with all the nutrients it needs after exercise.

One of the leading protein brands for many years has been Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard (100% Whey). This has been my favorite protein powder for many years. Although it is also a little more expensive than other protein supplements, I think the quality is outstanding and well worth it. The many flavors they have are delicious and the balls are a good size. The powder dissolves very evenly and easily and gets absorbed into your body quite quickly. This means faster protein synthesis or your body building muscle faster. There are many forms of protein with certain trade-offs, some that take longer to digest than others, and some that break down much more slowly. To really understand what works best, it’s always a good idea to experiment and see which works best for your goals and your body. If you’re still unsure, Optimum Nutrition Gold Standard (100% Whey) Protein is a strong recommendation. Even after taking pre- and post-workout supplements, sometimes you may not have the drive or energy to keep pushing through your workout…this is where intra-workout supplements shine.

I haven’t been too interested in internal workouts as I feel like the PWO gets the job done at least to the level I need. When I decided to take one, I opted for Sci-Vation’s Xtend. This stuff is pretty powerful and comes in this greenish/blue powder, we like to call it the “Hulk juice” nicknamed because of its color. This gives you more of that power/energy boost during your exercises which helps with explosive pumps and harder, more intense workouts. For me, I could surely feel a positive change while taking this, but my wallet felt the opposite. This stuff isn’t necessarily cheap, especially when you combine it with all the other supplements.

Legal Law

Lessons from long-term capital management

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Background

Long Term Capital Management (LTCM) was a hedge fund established in 1994 by John Meriwether, a very successful bond broker at Salomon Brothers. At Salomon, Meriwether was one of the first on Wall Street to hire the best academics and professors. Meriwether established a team of scholars who applied models based on financial theories to trading. At Salomon, Meriwether’s group of geniuses generated amazing returns and demonstrated an unprecedented ability to accurately calculate risk and other market factors.

In 1994, Meriwether left Salomon and founded LTCM. The partners included two Nobel Prize-winning economists, a former Vice Chairman of the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, a Harvard University professor, and other successful bond traders. This elite group of traders and academics attracted an initial investment of around $1.3 billion from many major institutional clients.

Strategy

LTCM’s strategy was simple in concept but difficult to implement. LTCM used computer models to find arbitrage opportunities between markets. LTCM’s core strategy was convergence trading where securities were mispriced relative to each other. LTCM would go long on the undervalued security and short on the overvalued security.

LTCM participated in this strategy in international bond markets, emerging markets, US government bonds and other markets. LTCM would make money when these spreads narrowed and returned to fair value. Later, as LTCM’s capital base grew, the fund engaged in strategies outside its expertise, such as merger arbitrage and S&P 500 volatility.

These strategies, however, focused on small price differences. Myron Scholes, one of the partners, stated that “LTCM would work like a giant vacuum cleaner sucking up nickels that everyone else had missed.” In order to make a significant profit on small differences in value, the hedge fund took highly leveraged positions. At the beginning of 1998, the fund had assets of about $5 billion and had borrowed about $125 billion.

Results

LTCM achieved outstanding returns initially. Before fees, the fund returned 28% in 1994, 59% in 1995, 57% in 1996 and 27% in 1997. LTCM returned these returns with surprisingly little downward volatility. Through April 1998, the value of an invested dollar initially increased to $4.11.

However, in mid-1998 the fund began to experience losses. These losses were further compounded when Salomon Brothers got out of the arbitration business. Later in the year, Russia defaulted on government bonds, an LTCM holding. Investors panicked, selling Japanese and European bonds and buying US Treasuries. Therefore, the spreads between LTCM holdings widened, causing arbitrage trades to lose huge amounts. LTCM lost $1.85 billion in capital at the end of August 1998.

Spreads between LTCM arbitrage trades continued to widen and the fund experienced a liquidity drain causing assets to shrink in the first 3 weeks of September from $2.3bn to $600m. Although the assets decreased, due to the use of leverage, the value of the portfolio did not decrease. However, the decline in assets raised the fund’s leverage. Ultimately, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York catalyzed a $3.625 billion bailout by major institutional creditors to prevent a broader collapse in financial markets that caused LTCM’s dramatic leverage and huge derivatives positions. . At the end of September 1998, the value of an initially invested dollar fell to $.33 before fees.

Lessons from the failure of LTCM

1. Limitation of excessive use of leverage

By engaging in value-based investment strategies that converge from the market price to an estimated fair price, managers must be able to have a long-term time frame and be able to withstand unfavorable price changes. When dramatic leverage is used, the ability of capital to be invested for the long term during unfavorable price changes is limited by the patience of creditors. Typically, lenders lose patience during market downturns, when borrowers need capital. If forced to sell securities during an illiquid market crisis, the fund will go bankrupt.

LTCM’s use of leverage also highlighted the lack of regulation in the OTC derivatives market. Many of the lending and reporting requirements established in other markets, such as futures, were not present in the OTC derivatives market. This lack of transparency meant that the risks of LTCM’s dramatic leverage were not fully recognized.

The failure of LTCM does not mean that any use of leverage is bad, but it does highlight the possible negative consequences of using excessive leverage.

2.Importance of Risk Management

LTCM failed to manage multiple aspects of risk internally. The managers focused mainly on theoretical models and not enough on liquid risk, spread risk and stress tests.

With such large positions, LTCM should have focused more on liquidity risk. The LTCM model underestimated the probability of a market crisis and the potential for a flight to liquidity.

The LTCM models also assumed that long and short positions were highly correlated. This assumption had a historical basis. Past results do not guarantee future results. By stress testing the model for the potential for lower correlations, the risk could have been better managed.

In addition to LTCM, the hedge fund’s large institutional creditors failed to adequately manage risk. Impressed by the fund’s stellar operators and large number of assets, many creditors offered very generous credit terms, even though the creditors were involved in significant risk. Furthermore, many creditors failed to understand their full exposure to specific markets. During a crisis, exposure in multiple areas of a business to specific risks can cause dramatic damage.

3. Supervision

LTCM was unable to have truly independent control over the traders. Without this oversight, traders were able to create positions that were too risky.

LTCM demonstrates an interesting case for the limitations of predictions based on historical data and the importance of recognizing potential model failure. Furthermore, the LTCM story illustrates the risk of limited transparency in the OTC derivatives market.

For more information on finance and investing, visit the Sharpe Investing blog.

Lifestyle Fashion

Tighten the neck skin – 1 step for a sexy neck

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Tightening the skin on your neck to get back that younger look is easier than you think. I’m sure you’ve looked at your family members and wondered, “Am I going to look like this?” This loose neck skin can make us look 10 to 15 years older than we really are. Your neck doesn’t have to look like this if you take measurements now. If you have tried a skin firming lotion, you will have found that they do not lift or tighten the skin on your neck. The underlying problem is the accumulation of fat under the chin and sagging skin on the neck that loosens over time.

The skin on your neck is different from the skin on your face. The neck does not have the bony structure that the face does and as we age it can become very loose. The tissue below the neck accumulates fat and stretches giving it that aged look. Your neck can age sooner than your face!

Do facial exercises work? Neck facial exercises will actually target this area and you’ll see results in about 7 days without the high cost of a neck lift or the braces you’ve seen on TV.

The following is an easy exercise you can do that will have quick results:

Lie on your back on your bed and let your head hang down over the edge. Slowly raise your head until your chin almost touches your chest. Hold this position for 10 seconds and slowly lower your head back to the ground. Repeat this exercise 10 times a day and you will see results in about 7 days!

Lie down on your bed, let your head hang over the edge. Slowly lift your head towards your torso and hold it there for 10 seconds. Relax and lower your head back to the floor…repeat this 5-10 times.