How to Support the Arts in a Time of Need

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We’ve talked before on this blog about accomplishing life goals, managing your business, making things more successful for yourself, etc. But, now more than ever it’s important to focus on other areas of interest and other industries that could use a little help during these uncertain times. It’s no secret that the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted nearly everyone across the globe.

One industry that has been severely impacted is the arts. Everyone knows how much this blog appreciates art, television, music, etc. So, it’s important to acknowledge the fact that artists are struggling throughout these uncertain times, too. Have you ever heard of names like Travis Preston? Have you ever heard of the Richard Rodgers Theatre? What about Damien Hirst?

If these people and places don’t ring a bell, then it’s even more important to educate yourself on the importance of arts across the globe, and learn more about what you can do to support artists in need throughout these uncertain times.

So, what can you do to make a difference in the art world in the midst of COVID-19?

Take a Class

It should come as no surprise that most artists are creative! So, they’ve had to use that creativity to think of new ways to express themselves, reach others, and allow art, in general, to continue to thrive.

So, many artists have set up virtual/online classes. One of the easiest things you can do to support their efforts is to sign up for a class or two. Even if you don’t think you’re “artistic,” you can find something that appeals to you, whether it’s a painting or drawing class, a music class, or an acting class. You can do it from the comfort of your own home, and you might find that you feel inspired by learning something new.

Go On Virtual Tours

Some of the world’s most prestigious and interesting museums have created virtual tours for people to take in the wake of this pandemic. You can essentially travel the world without leaving your home.

Most of these tours are completely free, but by becoming engaged with the world of art, you may be more inspired to do more. The tours also provide a great opportunity to share the world of art with your children and get them interested from an early age.

Buy or Donate

Times are difficult for many people right now. But, one of the best things you can do to support an artist, whether they’re a musician, actor, or a painter, is to donate to them. Many artists have set up funds for donations or have put up art pieces online for purchase. At the end of the day, emotional support and awareness is great, but these artists still have bills to pay. If we don’t show support to them now, they may not be able to return to their craft by the time this pandemic is done.

Supporting the arts is so essential, and during these strange times, we could all use a little artistic inspiration. Don’t be afraid to use your own creativity when it comes to supporting the art world, and make a difference today.

Covid-19 Update & Liquor Stores Reopen

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After the arrival of non-resident Keralaites from Gulf countries, the Maldives and from hotspots in other states in India in early May, Kerala saw a major leap in the number of COVID-19 infections. An expert committee, led by Dr B. Ikbal, public health expert and member of the state planning board, advised the state government on May 26 to upgrade the quarantine measures from home to room quarantines. The police have also intensified their surveillance of those under quarantine, and have been strictly registering cases against those flouting the rules. On May 26 alone, cases were registered against 3,261 people for not wearing face masks in public places. And between May 4 and May 26, cases were registered against 453 people who violated quarantine rules.

the LDF government in Kerala has found the perfect reason to broad base its liquor sale and completely demolish the no-alcohol policy of the previous Congress-led UDF government. The government opened up liquor sales on 28 May, after over two months of lockdown, but only after it took a number of decisions to augment sale and, by extension, revenue. or one, the state has allowed the retail sale of liquor through private bar counters. As a result, the LDF government has commandeered the support of another 867 sales points, comprising 576 bar-attached hotels and 291 beer parlours. Before the lockdown, the state’s liquor retail outreach was limited to 265 outlets of Kerala State Beverages Corporation (Bevco), supplemented by 36 Consumer Federation sales points.

The state government has also enforced a new astronomical tax structure under which tax is levied at 247 per cent of the basic cost of liquor, up from 212 per cent before the lockdown.This is among the highest in the country. For instance, in Maharashtra, which has allowed home delivery of liquor, 72 per cent goes as excise and VAT to the government on every bottle sold.

4 Ways To Use AI To Improve Your Marketing Strategy

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In the past few years, we’ve seen artificial intelligence cropping up everywhere in the business world. From AI chatbots for recruitment to AI generated product descriptions. It’s no surprise that AI can help businesses to improve their marketing strategies. If you’re wondering how you can facilitate this, start off with these four options.

1. Content

It’s impossible to improve your content if you don’t understand its current performance. It’s useful to collect content performance insights, using AI. No matter which industry you are in, intelligent content should be your goal. Intelligent content means that the content has been created and optimized for the best performance possible. To help you to create better content, try content tools such as Vennli. This software can help businesses to enhance their relevance for content tactics. With Vennli, companies can measure metrics and gather performance data.

2 . Programmatic advertising

Programmatic advertising means buying digital media automatically, with the use of machines. By using programmatic advertising you can gain intelligence from consumer data and automate your ad procedures. AI integrations can help companies to improve the success of their ads. With these processes, you can design personalized ads, using pattern detection and data analytics. Using artificial intelligence, marketers can achieve the correct timing for remarketing. Doing so will ensure that consumers are not constantly shown the same ads. To improve programmatic advertising further, companies can use AI software to support budget management.

3. Chatbots

Many businesses are now using chatbots on their websites and social media accounts. By using a chatbot, you can offer your customers a 24/7 service by messaging chat. One of the best things about chatbots is that they can serve a large number of people simulatenously. You can also use these bots to gather feedback about your website or app. Chatbots can be programmed to speak in a huge variety of languages, to offer your customers from abroad a better experience.

4. User Experience

AI can be used to improve user experience on your site, for instance, by giving personalized recommendations. You can also use AI to generate personalized emails to customers who visited your site, but did not buy any products. AI tools are further useful to gain data about user behaviour. When you can access information about how people used your website, you can use this data to improve your marketing strategy. UX is one of the most important areas to consider when it comes to your site. To ensure that the site is appealing to your users, it’s best to work with a talented website designer. With so many similar sites competing for attention, it’s worth investing in something bespoke that stands out.

By considering these four marketing options, you’ll stand to enhance your 2020 strategy and gain more leads. As technology advances forward, it’s likely that this is just the beginning for AI and marketing. To stay current and agile within your industry, it’s advisable to keep up with the emerging AI and marketing trends.

5 Life Goals That Are Well Worth Making

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Things are a bit rubbish right now in the world, but it shouldn’t stop us from setting and achieving goals and planning for the future. Here are a few ideas to add to your bucket list to get done when this is all over.

Get the body you’ve always wanted

For most of us, there’s a significant difference between the body we want, and the one we currently have. Easy access to fast food, sedentary jobs with long hours and unhealthy coping strategies might have left your body in a state that can be described as ‘less than its best.’ However, it doesn’t have to stay that way. Unlike with many things in life, the way you take care of your body is totally within your control- eating better, exercising more, drinking more water and getting enough sleep will have a massive impact on the way that you look and the way that you feel. You don’t need to aim for perfection but it’s good to make the most of what you have. Get fit and toned, and work towards achieving a bmi that’s in the normal range for you.

Secure your dream job

We spend such a long time in the workplace that if you’re unhappy here, this unhappiness is very likely to spill over into the rest of your life too. Making a change can be scary but could be one of the best things you ever do- start from the bottom and work your way up in the career that you’ve always dreamed of doing. Maybe you want to become a psychologist or a teacher. Maybe you want to design theme park rides with a water slide manufacturing company?! Whatever it is that interests you and your passions lie in is worth pursuing.

Travel

Of course, no one is travelling right now. Coronavirus put a stop to that back in March, and at present none of us really know when we can jet off again to sunnier climes. But there’s time to research and plan, to save for any trip you want to take. Decide what country you’d like to visit next and what sort of things you’d like to see and do when you get there. Travel adds so much value to your life

Help others

You might not feel as though you have it as good as some people, but if you have food in your cupboards and a roof over your head, you’re much more fortunate than you might realise. If you don’t have money to donate then why not donate some of your time helping a good cause. It could be anything from volunteering at a local soup kitchen to an animal shelter.

Find a partner and enjoy life together

If you’re ready to meet someone and settle down, why not take the plunge? If you’ve been single for a while this can feel like a huge step but could be a fantastic decision. Meeting someone whose personality compliments yours, who makes you happy and introduces you to new things you wouldn’t have come across yourself can make life much more rewarding.

Through What Metrics Should You Plan For The Future?

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It can often feel quite hard to plan our forward progress in life. Of course, some decisions are made for us. If you realize you are having a child, you’re sure to use that news to orbit all of your decision making for some time. Yet sometimes, the thing we are most lacking in life is a direction. This is not simply the case because you refuse to look at your options, or that you feel unable to choose something. It may simply be that you’re completely spoiled for choice.

We understand. It’s hard to figure out where you want to go, or what change you wish to make. For instance, you may wish to live in a great home, but you’re not exactly sure where that should be, or where you should aim to build your life. Of course, no plan for the future is completely watertight and fixed in position, but it can be nice to have at least a guideline to orient your actions.

So, what metrics would we recommend? With the following advice, we hope you can find this process easier and more comfortable than expected:

A Craft & Passion

Developing a craft and passion that works for you can be immensely rewarding, and when you find it, throwing yourself into that can be important. For some it might be working with animal rescue shelters, or for others, it may simply be starting a family and being the best parent possible. When you follow your heart and gut, no matter how that looks to other people, you will find the place you are meant to be. But more than that, viewing a craft or passion as a discipline you can improve in and become a master of will usually help the money take care of itself, even if this has to be a secondary goal.

Stability As A Blanket

Stability is important for many, and so it can be worthwhile to understand where your roots are, or where you hope to build. We can be nomads for a large portion of our life, but settling somewhere can grant us many more benefits such as long term friendship, a stable career. or at least relationships that develop. Where are you tied to on this Earth? Could you be the first in your family to situate somewhere you have dreamed of? For instance, meeting the developer Roger Osteen could help you feel more interested in a newly developed community. Consider yourself the pioneer, and build the stability to guide you there. This way you have adventure and comfort bound together in the same measure.

The People You Care For

It can be important to tie your life decisions to those you care about. Perhaps you’re interested in staying near your parents, or maybe you wish to move to a place that holds your cultural roots. It’s worth making this ‘life plan’ list with the aid of the connections you have, and weighing up their importance. From there, you can feel more informed no matter what decision you come to.

With this advice, we hope you can plan for the future using reliable metrics to guide you.

RIP Richard Herd

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American actor Richard Herd, best known for his role on Seinfeld, has died. He was 87. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Herd’s wife of 40 years, actor Patricia Crowder Herd, said that the actor died from cancer-related causes at his home in Los Angeles on Tuesday. Herd is best known for playing Mr Wilhelm on the iconic NBC comedy series Seinfeld. The character was the supervisor to George Costanza (Jason Alexander) while he worked for the New York Yankees. His TV credits include Star Trek: Voyager, a regular part on the ABC cop drama T. J. Hooker, and a role in the 1983 alien invasion mini series V.

All the President’s Men and The China Syndrome, were also some of his films. SAG-AFTRA also paid tribute to Herd. The labour union wrote alongside a Variety article announcing his death,”Mourning the loss of #sagaftramember Richard Herd, who entertained us in roles from ‘All the President’s Men’ to Seinfeld. Herd was a national board member for almost 10 years and served a 2-year term as SAG’s 3rd national vice president in 1999.” Herd was also a painter and made his own jewellery, in addition to his career in front of the camera. Herd is also survived by daughter Erica, son Rick, and stepdaughter Alicia.

He was well known in the science fiction community for his role in the 1983 NBC miniseries V and 1984 sequel V: The Final Battle, as John, the Visitors’ Supreme Commander. Other major roles in his career included recurring parts on the NBC series seaQuest DSV as Admiral William Noyce; on Star Trek: Voyager as Admiral Owen Paris, the father of helmsman Tom Paris; and as George Costanza’s boss Mr. Wilhelm on Seinfeld. In two guest appearances on Quantum Leap, he played children’s show host “Captain Galaxy”, a would-be time traveler, and a miner named Ziggy Ziganovich. Herd has appeared at a number of fan conventions on the basis of his science fiction roles.

Business Independence Comes In Many Forms

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The whole schtick about being an entrepreneur is that you’re going against the grain, you’re a rebel with a sharp mind, looking to take out the competition. You’re going to make it on your own, somehow, somehow! So why don’t we ever talk about business independence? Why is it that in recent years, so many small business owners and entrepreneurs have been so ready to sell their business to a larger company? They think they’ll be fine, even if they just own 49% of the company. Wrong, they will always be slowly but surely moved out of the way by the new CEO. A director role is not the same as the role that makes the final decisions. If you’re a struggling entrepreneur and you want to stay independent, this is what you need to do.

Outsmarting investors

No one said you should go it alone totally. You will need some kind of financial backing. But the trick is to outsmart those seeking to invest in you. Normally, investors will want to own the majority share of your business. They do this because they want some kind of insurance for their money and that usually means, sacrificing your business as collateral if it doesn’t work out. Here’s how you can retain the majority ownership of your business when dealing with investors.

  • Give them the lion’s share of the profits. Sometimes it really is a game of balances. You can agree to give them a larger portion of the profits, which doesn’t leave much for you in the beginning. Most of your slide of profits will be invested back into the business, such as R&D. But you will retain control, which is the overall goal.
  • A phased ownership plan. You can temporarily give majority control of your business for the first couple or few years. If an investor is willing to give you $200,000 over the course of 3 years. Give them a larger cut of the profits and give them 52% of the company in year 1, then 50% in year 2 and finally, 48% in year 3. This means you get the money but you also retain control in the long run.

Sharing is not caring

Growing at your own pace is vital when you’re an entrepreneur. Not only does this mean you can expand at your own rate but you’re not going too far too fast, when you don’t want to. A prime example of the former is ditching a shared server for a cheap vps package. The Basic plan gives you 4GB of RAM, 50GB of SSD space, and 2 CPU cores all to yourself. Now you can increase the number of your applications, increase your visitors, and add more products to your line.

Coworking spaces are often limited in a number of ways. This FAD seems to have run its course, and private offices are back in style. Having your own office will also allow you to have full control over your work schedule, tasks, software, and moreover, your employees. Remaining as independent as you possibly can be as an entrepreneur is what will allow you to remain creative and motivated. Handling investors is tricky but you can negotiate to retain majority control if you wish.

Think About Which Direction You Want To Take Your Life In

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There are so many different directions that you could take your life in, so it makes sense to sit down and think about it before you dive right in. Think of all the places that you could go, all the things that you could do, and all the new people that you could meet. Also, consider what kind of career you are looking for along the way so that you have some kind of idea where you’re heading. It might not be the case that you end up staying on the path that you originally envisioned, but there’s nothing wrong with this. We change, our wants change, and our desires change, so straying a little from the original path is not a bad thing. In this article, we’re going to be looking at some of the directions that your life could take you in, so keep reading down below if you want to find out more.

Pursue Further Education

The first thing that we think you should think about is pursuing further education. We know that this isn’t for everyone, so we’re not suggesting this if you can’t stand the idea of learning anything more in a classroom setting. School does not appeal to a lot of people, and there’s nothing wrong with this as there are so many other ways that your life could take you. But, if learning excites you and you have a thirst for knowledge, then further education is certainly something that you can pursue.

Not only does it give you some kind of direction in your life, but it could also help you figure out what you want to do later on. If you fall in love with something that you are studying, it could set you up for what you want to do for a long time to come. Keep in mind that there is always time to change directions if at any point you don’t like where you’re headed. Just because you made a mistake, doesn’t mean you have to keep making it.

Join The Military

Something else that you could do is join the military. If you’re brave, you’re interested in fighting or protecting those who can’t protect yourself, then this could be a life path for you. There are so many branches that you can head into though, so don’t feel like you’re going to be restricted in what you can actually do once you’ve been through initial training. And, if at any point you decide that you want to head off to college when you leave, then while you’re still joined up you can take cyber security military training for college credit if this sounds like something that would interest you. It could be something to think about if this is your type of thing.

Also, when you join the military, you learn a lot of new things. Discipline, respect, and so many other principles are woven into your life, that you could find yourself coming out an entirely new person. Again, it’s not the life path that everyone chooses to take, and there is nothing wrong with this, but you earn so much respect.

Work Your Way Up The Corporate Ladder

Or, instead of either of those options, you might just want to work your way up the corporate ladder. That’s the way a lot of people do it, and it’s a great way to learn about all the different elements that make up a business. When you start from the bottom and work your way upwards, you get to experience a whole range of different things, and it gives you a new idea on what it takes to make a business run efficiently. From the mailroom to marketing to the CEO, everyone is important, and you really get to see this when you do it this way.

As well as this, it gives you a chance to see different departments and learn different skills that you might not have otherwise acquired. Being able to do a number of things is always a desirable trait for a company, so it’s certainly something that works for a lot of people. Developing existing skills is also an important step here, and it builds you into the professional that you end up becoming.

Move To A New Country

Or, not looking at careers, you could take your life in a completely new direction and move country. Of course, you have to make sure that you have enough money to do this and work out if you need a visa or something like this to do it legally. In a lot of countries, you need the appropriate paperwork to be able to get a job and live in the country seeing as you are not a citizen, so ensure that you get this sorted before you leave. You don’t want to get kicked out of the country in a couple of months because you haven’t been abiding by their laws.

It’s always an exciting adventure to move to a new place. There is so much to learn from different cultures and different ways of living, so ensure to embrace this. Remember that when you move to a new country, you have to follow their rules and laws, rather than the ones that you are used to where you are originally from. If you can’t do this, then it’s best not to move.

Stay At Home Parent

Some people don’t want to work, and there is nothing wrong with this as long as you are being supported by someone who does. If your goal in life is to be a stay at home parent, then you need to ensure your partner has enough income to sustain everyone. It can be expensive to have a family, but it can be done if that’s what you want. Talk to your partner when the time comes and see what they think.

However, if they don’t agree with the lifestyle that you are looking for, they might not be the one for you. It’s not the case that you have to stay on the same path that you thought you would always be on, but that also doesn’t mean that you have to change what you want from your life because someone else doesn’t want the same. There are people out there who will accept what you want to do, and they are the people you should be focusing on.

Freelance Worker

A final suggestion that we are going to make is that you become a freelance worker. This means that you work for yourself rather than for a company, meaning that you can choose what clients you take on, what prices you charge for your service and your working hours as well as some other things. Don’t be afraid to take this route in life, especially if you are looking to be flexible with your life. If you’re not the type of person who can sit down for a 9-5 desk job happily, then it’s certainly a consideration for you.

The best thing about freelancing is that you choose what you want to do. There is no trying to fit into what your boss wants you to do. You choose what you offer, and people either respond to this or not. However, you do have to realize that you will only get paid for work that you complete, so sick days will mean that you won’t get paid.

We hope that you have found this article helpful, and now have a few ideas on which direction your life could take you in. Good luck, and have the time of your life doing whatever you choose.

VST Plugins for String Music Instruments

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VST Plugins for String Music Instruments

Miroslav Vitous was one of the first performers to release his Symphonic Orchestra Samples CDs in the year 1993, with this came the advent of followers. People were looking for ways to do the same thing but better, quicker, and professionally. So, the invention of the computer-based Gigastudio was released in early 2000, one thing led to another, and every musician or performer, and recording studio on the planet invested in what has now has become a choice of thousands of different plugins, available on plugin library’s online. Read more about this introduction through this link.

So, it is safe to say that if you are recording or producing your projects or for other people as a business, you’re probably using stringed instruments to add some warmth to your sounds, and with it, also a reliable string VST plugin for your digital audio workstation.

VST or Virtual Studio Technology refers to an interface for mixing effect plugins and software audio synthesizers with hard-disk recording systems and audio editors. These types of technologies typically use digital signal processing to simulate traditional recording studio software and hardware alike. There are tons of different plugins that are available on the market, both free and commercial and as such VST is supported by a variety of audio applications.

The convenience of plugins comes with many advantages, especially when you are composing music or simply doing some mixing. Benefits include:

  • Cost-effective solutions (choice of free and expensive)
  • A rich sound that can be customized inside the DAW
  • Better listening quality
  • Analog hardware emulation
  • Digital signal processing

It’s safe to say that this is possibly the most affordable and convenient VST plugins, which is why anyone can use them – professionals and amateurs alike. Learn more about how this technology works via this online source https://www.techopedia.com/definition/266/virtual-studio-technology-vst

Some plugins control the incoming sounds which can also be cut, manipulated, and employed linearly to suit the demands of your project no matter how complicated. It presents a customized tool to make things sound more professional and clearer to the listener.

There are several different VST Plugins, and some are specifically designed to be used with string instruments to help in creating virtual sounds from the vibrations, for ease of use and tailored compatibility. These include the String VST Plugins, which function similarly to stringed musical instruments such as guitars, cellos, basses, and violins.

Each plugin also has a choice of filters, these help to boost or cut off high-end and low-end frequencies beyond their set limits. So, you can adjust the sound frequencies to as high or low as you desire without changing anything else, resulting in rich sound by using the DAW VST Hub VST plugins.

They imitate the real sound and replicate emulations based on diverse landscapes using tonal variations and multiple controls.

These plugins have a reliable processor and parameters, by allowing different options and functionalities that only musicians can appreciate when used because often during recording sessions, multiple other hardware cannot offer the same possibilities as plugins can. This edition offers more of a variety of sounds and gives one a wider choice of creative extensions to use in their music and for their listeners.

The subject of VSTs has become a popular one amongst enthusiasts because they have become more sophisticated in the 21s century. Not only can they program your playing techniques, but they can also add expression and ensembles to it. These have been used in an array of situations including orchestras. Find out more about the different types here.

Different Types of VST Plugins

As mentioned earlier, there are now thousands of different plugins that anyone can use to sound professional and put all their melodies together in a concise place. In particular two categories which are either Virtual samplers or virtual synthesizers, learn more about this software here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_synthesizer

EQ VST plugin: Several different ones are available, depending on the requirements of the user. It has multiple different frequency filters in it too, and these help in cutting out the boost frequencies to make them either higher or lower.

Delay VST Plugins: There is also a choice of effect plugins that help to fade out sounds and audio recordings. Depending on the way the sound is designed, you can use this option to create multiple effects on your recording and to build a foundation.

String VST Plugins: As mentioned above, include samples of strings instrument recreations to provide an array of assorted creative solutions.

Compressor VST Plugins: Can be used to condense distance between the soft and silent sounds to reach audio signals. They help in reducing incoming sounds bounce-back. They enhance the quieter sounds and level them up with the louder sounds so you don’t need to adjust each manually yourself.

Reverb VST Plugins: Help to duplicate or create a copy of existing instruments being played. They take into consideration, ideal delay, echoes, frequency levels, and simulate the natural settings. They help set the mood of the overall output, by adding depth to the overall recordings.

Effect VST Plugins: These fall under the VSTfx plugins which are used in studios to produce different effects in the studio. They are different from strict VST instruments because these adjust and alter incoming sounds as opposed to blocking or retracting them.

Other options for VST plugins include Filter VST plugins, Autotune, Distortion, Mastering, Vocoder, Waves, Virtual Instruments. There is also a different category that includes individual instruments such as Drum, Synthesizer, Bass, Piano, orchestral, and guitar, to name a few. As mentioned, there are thousands, so depending on the kind of sound result you are looking for, these additions will help make things a little more professional, even if you’re starting in your garage.

The Mental Benefits Of Physical Exercise

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We all know perfectly well by now about the physical health benefits of exercise – let’s face it, that’s the entire reason the concept was invented. Enjoying these benefits is without a doubt a major part of why any of us will take up exercising. With that said, it might be worth looking more closely at an equally important aspect of health, that can also be boosted by exercise. That, of course, is our mental health – a topic about which we should all be perfectly aware by now, but which still finds itself relegated all too often behind physical fitness and ailments.

How does exercise boost our mental health? How often should we be looking to fit in a workout, and what benefits will we see? Perhaps most importantly from a saliency point of view, what are the mental health implications of exercise while in quarantine? Let’s look at some of the key facts that should motivate you as you seek to get fit in body and mind.

Exercise elevates mood, even if you don’t want to do it!

Many of us are skeptical about exercise, because it is physical exertion and is harder than whatever the alternative is. In short, it seems like an effort we don’t want to expend, and it can be hard to talk someone into exercising (even if that someone is you). But here’s the deal – any spell of physical exertion will leave you feeling better mood-wise than the same spell watching TV or looking at your phone.

Even simply going for a walk is better physically and mentally than staying in place – so put some headphones in and get to work; you’ll be glad you did. Some physical exercise that raises the pulse, at least once a day, will make a big difference to your mental health

Stress-busting benefits are unmistakable

Stress is everywhere: we are stressed by our jobs, by the lack of jobs, by the global outlook, and by any number of issues in our personal lives. All of us are affected to a greater or lesser extent by stress (some more than others, without a doubt), and it is detrimental to our health on a number of fronts. Not only does exercise release endorphins, which help our minds and bodies beat stress, but it can also combat the restlessness that is a major symptom of the issue.

Exercise and nutrition go hand in hand – with positive results

A major benefit of exercising well is that it ensures your body will give you worthwhile feedback that you can action for a positive benefit. For example, if you hop on the exercise bike and then cramp up after a short spell, it likely means you’re not getting enough hydration and/or electrolytes in your diet. As a side benefit of upping your water intake, you’re likely to feel mentally sharper and less prone to low moods and anxiety.

Once you start to factor exercise into your considerations, you start to think in a more concrete way about wellness, look at the likes of Steel supplements to up your nutrient intake, and the benefits will be felt on physical and mental fronts alike. Some simple quarantine workouts can really make a difference on all levels.

Although you’ll sometimes feel like exercise is the last thing you want to do, getting it done has so many benefits that, after a short spell, you’ll wonder how you could do without it – so persevere and you’ll feel much better for it.

Star Trek : Strange New Words Announced

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We seem to be getting a lot of Star Trek theses days on television even if the movie world has been let without a proper answer (as to will we see another Trek movie any time soon). Star Trek: Strange New Worlds will be a fresh addition to the franchise. CBS All Access has announced a fifth new series called Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, which will star Anson Mount as Captain Christopher Pike, Rebecca Romijn as Number One, and Ethan Peck as Science Officer Spock. The trio originally appeared in said roles on Star Trek: Discovery season 2. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds will be set aboard the famed USS Enterprise a decade before Captain Kirk’s time — a similar starting point as Star Trek: Discovery — and follow the aforementioned three in Spock, Pike, and Number One as “they explore new worlds around the galaxy.”

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds co-creator and executive producer Akiva Goldsman is also the writer on the first episode of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, off a story by Jenny Lumet, Kurtzman, and himself. Lumet, Heather Kadin, Rod Roddenberry, and Trevor Roth also serve as executive producers on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds in addition to Goldsman, Kurtzman, and Alonso Myers. Aaron Baiers, Akela Cooper, and Davy Perez will serve as co-executive producers. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is a production of CBS Television Studios, Secret Hideout, and Roddenberry Entertainment.

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds joins an ever-growing list of Trek series on CBS All Access, alongside the aforementioned Star Trek: Discovery, which kicked things off in September 2017, followed by Star Trek: Picard in January 2020. Beyond that, we’ve the animated series, Star Trek: Lower Decks, from Mike McMahan (Rick and Morty), and the Michelle Yeoh-led spin-off series from Star Trek: Discovery writing duo Bo Yeon Kim and Erika Lippoldt. And if we’re counting Trek for kids, there’s an animated series in the works at Nickelodeon as well.

There’s no word on a filming start date, let alone a release date, on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. There’s also no word on the international platforms for Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. (CBS All Access is only available in the US, Australia, and Canada). Previous Trek shows are split between Netflix (Discovery) and Amazon Prime Video (Picard) in India.

Both Discovery and Picard share a highly serialized format, however, the new series set on Captain Pike’s U.S.S. Enterprise promises a return to classic Trek storytelling. In the announcement video from yesterday, Strange New Worlds star Anson Mount (Captain Pike) described the new series as a “classic Star Trek show that deals with optimism and the future.”

Here is what I want – more episodic and more optimism, Klingons, Vulcans, Andorians, Tellerites & Orions, no changing of cannon, stop messing with the Klingons, introduce new interesting alien races and perhaps bring them as recurring characters, cut out lens flares and finally and more importantly, bring back the excitement & fun elements.

How Can Businesses Successfully Adopt New Technology?

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We are living in a technology-driven world. New tools and systems are continually being introduced to improve productivity, efficiency and cost-savings. Businesses must stay up to date if they want to survive. Whatever industry you are in, the companies most willing to adopt new technology will be the most successful. Whether it’s computer software, augmented reality, artificial intelligence or the latest set of industrial scales, your company should be keeping on top of new developments and striving to stay current.

When adopting new technology, there are some things to keep in mind. Follow these steps for a successful integration within your company.

Choose the right technology

Why are you adopting this new technology? It shouldn’t be because your competitors are doing so or because you think it will make your company look more impressive. You should adopt new technology because it helps you meet your goals, whether they’re saving money, improving productivity or freeing up time and resources. Although there will be an initial financial outlay, the benefits should give you a significant return on your investment. Ask yourself whether it will fit seamlessly into your business and whether all of your employees will be able to use it.

Educate and train staff

Often, employees can be unwilling to adopt a new system, particularly older team members who have used the same processes and technologies for years. Why should they need to change things when the old way worked perfectly well? It is up to you to ensure all staff understand the advantages of the new system and how it not only benefits the success of the company but will make their lives easier too. Let them understand how the new technology fits in with the company’s goals and visions and bring them onto the same page as you. Full training and ongoing support will be necessary to ensure it is used to maximum effect.

Take it slow

Seeing success with your new tech tools will probably get off to a slow start. It will take time for staff to adjust to the new way of doing things and for it to integrate seamlessly into your current business processes. There will be lots of things to iron out and make more efficient, so set your expectations accordingly.

Measure progress

After some time, you should hopefully see some measurable success from your new technology. Each milestone and every little victory should be a cause for celebration. This will help win over those who are still unreceptive to the new system and convince them that it is the right way to go. Get feedback from your staff who are using it to see what they think about it and get advice on how it could be made easier for them. Crunch the numbers and compare data before and after the adoption. Identify improvements and areas where there is still some way to go. If, after a while, you are still not seeing any results, don’t feel you have to stick with it. Although it was a costly investment, it will be better in the long run if you accept it was a mistake and start looking for a new solution.

Adopting new technology can be difficult but being willing to adapt is the only way for businesses to survive in the modern world. By making sure you choose the right technology and implement it strategically, you will see your business productivity increase dramatically.

How to Prepare Your Business for Trouble Ahead

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If your business is doing well right now, you might not be thinking about what might go wrong in the future. And that’s something that’s definitely understandable. But if you’re going to run your business in a way that’s sustainable, you definitely do have to think about the things that could potentially go wrong. No one wants to consider that stuff, but if you don’t, your business could be taken by surprise. So here’s how to prepare it for potential trouble ahead.

Create a Financial Buffer

First of all, you should think about creating a financial buffer that your business can call upon when it needs to spend some extra money in an emergency. It’s nice to know that you have that safety net in place and that you can use it whenever you might need to. Start putting this in place if it’s something that you haven’t been able to do up to now.

Have Tradespeople You Can Trust

You should definitely think about how using tradespeople might be needed in an emergency situation. If something goes wrong, you might need a builder, plumber or even a locksmith service to get you out of trouble. Start establishing these connections and find tradespeople you know you can trust and call upon in times of trouble.

Make Sure the Business is Properly Insured

It’s vital that your business is properly insured and if it’s not, this is something that you should definitely look to change at the soonest opportunity you get. Find insurance that offers the basic cover you need and more on top of that if you can afford it. It’s never a bad thing to have more insurance cover than you might ultimately need.

Look for Planning Assistance

If you have doubts about the direction in which your business is heading, it’s a good idea to start planning things out and making the future more sustainable. And as you do that, you might want to look towards planning assistance that might be able to give you that help and guidance you need as you start to think about your company’s future.

Create a Disaster Recovery Plan in Place

Finally, you should think about creating a disaster recovery plan and putting it in place as soon as you get a chance to. A good plan will allow you to know what to do in an emergency situation. Of course, you won’t know the specifics until the situation arises, but having a plan in place will create a process that you can follow, so it’s worth making this happen.

When your business starts to go through a difficult time, you should make sure that you’re ready to respond to that in the right kind of way. The way in which you respond when a crisis arises will dictate whether or not your business is capable of getting through it and coming out the other side.

Take Ownership Of Your Environment: Beating Lockdown Blues

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No doubt you’ve spent a lot of time trying to stave off boredom, whether it’s a long day of gaming or watching Tiger King (yet again) on Netflix. But there’s something that creeps up on us during these difficult times. Most of the world is feeling the pressures of being in lockdown and if you are starting to feel the lockdown blues it’s important to focus on your well-being from the comfort of your own home. Even if you feel that you are hemmed in, there are things that you can do to keep yourself entertained and stimulated, and it’s all about taking ownership of your environment.

Clean Up Your Hard Drive

If there’s been a list of things to do on your computer and you’ve just not had the time to get round to it now is the opportunity to do all those little housekeeping activities. Whether you’ve been trying to find a good VPN for Kodi for some time or not had the chance to fix the “blue screen of death,” now is a better time than any. Perhaps you’ve been putting off the inevitable, but now is the perfect opportunity while you have the time!

Hit The Mute Button On Life!

While it’s important to keep in contact with everyone, if you have been glued to your devices this entire time you may want to start rationing your exposure. If you are checking social media a lot or focusing on the news, it’s important to remember that it’s so easy to focus on the scary stuff when it is constantly in our faces. Take the opportunity to mute alerts and bring it all down to the bare basics. If something is so important, just watch the news that evening!

Start New Routines

We can find ourselves getting bored because we are stuck in certain routines or have stopped them completely. Now is the perfect chance to begin new routines and pick up the slack. When we stop doing what we normally do, this has an adverse effect on our well-being. Taking the opportunity to incorporate new activities whether this is a little bit of exercise for five minutes or going to bed at a reasonable time, these things will have a profound impact on our ability to cope with a stressful situation.

Find New Outlets For Stress

We need to find ways to relax that is more than what we think is good for us. Many people go to play video games as a form of meditation but we’ve got to remember what our individual coping strategies are. If we stay glued to a video game and realize that we’ve been playing Fortnite for, well, a fortnight, this is not going to end well! Do something engrossing, even if this is cleaning! It’s very useful for everyone to think about what their specific coping strategies are right now. Because these little things help us to be present.

Everybody is dealing with a lot of anxiety. And if we feel powerless and retreat to our room as a knee-jerk reaction, we have to think about the things we can take ownership of.