Help Me! I'm Afraid of Public Speaking

By Amirul Mannan

It has been more than a decade since we started to do training. Looking back it has been an incredible journey for the both of us. My uncle always introduces me to people as an engineer in the wrong profession!

Anyways today we want to share about public speaking. Did you know that almost 80% of the world's population in the world have a fear of public speaking? One of the most well-known statistics in the US states that more people are afraid of public speaking than death! Go figure.

Today if people look at us conducting a training, seminar, conference or workshop people will have the impression that we are natural public speakers. To tell you the truth we were far from natural.

We were never the speaking type. In fact one of the reasons why Elin my wife chose me was because I did not talk much but, look at me today. We were not debaters at school nor were we speakers during our university days. It's a skill that we acquired and learned along the way.

There's a saying, "Every Master Was Once a Disaster!" I was definitely a disaster. I remember the first time when I started work one of my first assignment was to be the Master of Ceremonies (MC) for an official function at our office for our customers. I still remember on that particular day, instead of being the MC, I instead went on a different MC - Medical Certificate!

In fact I still remember the first official presentation that I had to do in Bangi. It was very nerve wracking as I could not even go to work on that day. We took the day off so that we could go to the venue. It is very important to do this. I tried to do a mental rehearsal of the presentation. To me it should be easy as I have done it before one on one and I have seen people doing it so many times. Boy was I wrong!

That night, I froze! I was so hard and I could not move. It was like my whole body was in a shock that the rostrum was more alive! Can you imagine that my coach stopped the presentation in the middle and asked me what's wrong! I told him that I was nervous and I was scared!

Well, that was many, many, many years ago. The truth is that if we can do, so can you. Understand the fact that success is something that you can learn and public speaking is also a skill that you can learn and become a master. The important thing here is that you must have the right attitude!

Here are 20 tips that could help you to improve on your public speaking skills:

#1 Watch the Experts

The best way to start learning good speaking methods is by watching good speakers. Ten years ago, this would have been more difficult, but today you can quickly find good example speeches online.

#2 Know Your Material

Before you give you speech, do enough research to have a strong grasp of the subject matter. You do not want to forget an important fact.

#3 Take Notes

Although you do not want to read your entire speech off a script, writing down a brief outline will help you stay focused.

#4 Rehearse In Private

One of the most important keys to giving a strong speech is the practice. Rehearse your speech enough that you can (almost) say it in your sleep. Do it in front of a mirror!

#5 Rehearse To a Small Audience

After practicing by yourself, give your speech to a small audience. After you finish, ask for feedback on your performance. You can then use this advice to perfect your presentation even more.

#6 Know Your Audience

Your speech should be carefully targeted to your audience. If you have to use terms that are unfamiliar to them, you will need to give the definitions.

#7 Know Your Surroundings

Before you give you speech, visit the place you will be speaking. If possible, you might even try to have a practice run on location.

#8 Dress Properly

Depending on your audience, you may need to dress formally or casually. In addition, dress in layers to prepare for a wide range of temperatures.

#9 Relax

Almost everyone feels nervous when speaking. Calm you nerves by pausing before starting you speech and by channelling your nervous energy into enthusiasm.

#10 Start With an Intriguing Question or Fact

Most audiences subconsciously give the speaker 20 seconds to capture their attention. Engage your audience quickly with an engaging question or startling fact.

#11 Realize That Your Audience Is On Your Side

Very rarely do audiences want the speaker to fail. Most of the time, the audience will want you to succeed. After all, who wants to sit through a boring presentation?

#12 Use Gestures

Do not be afraid to use hand motions. As long as you use them naturally, gestures will add to your speech.

#13 Use Visual Aids

In addition to gestures, visual aids, ranging from high-tech Power Point presentations to simple chalkboard diagrams, can help keep visual learners interested.

#14 Do Not Over-Use Visuals

Although visuals are very useful, too much of a good thing can be bad. Use visuals sparingly and tastefully. (Yes, your spectacular slide show transitions will distract and annoy the audience.)

#15 Speak With Conviction & Confidence

If you want your audience to believe you, you have to first believe yourself. If you do not believe your speech yourself, do not give that presentation in the first place!

#16 Do Not Speak To Your Notes

First-time speakers are often tempted to talk to their notes. Instead, set yourself apart by speaking to... surprise... your audience!

#17 Pauses In Your Speech

Do not be afraid to add silence to your speech. In fact, this quietness will help keep your audience awake and focused on your topic.

#18 Add Humour and tell Stories to Engage & Relate with Your Audience

Although too many jokes can ruin your persuasiveness, the occasional humorous anecdote will add levity to your speech and engage your audience.

#19 Don't Apologize For Nervousness

Some speakers feel a need to apologize to their audience for sounding nervous. Don't do this! Not only does this mistake detract from your persuasiveness, but it will not be useful information for your audience.

#20 Prepare a Good Ending

Rather than mumbling, "Well, I guess that's it... " as you slowly back off the platform, plan a strong ending. One ideal ending is a call to action. For instance, in speech about blogging, I might end, "Now, go start your blog today!"

If you have an interest or a hobby or something that you are passionate about than you can turn it into a source of income in just 14 simple steps. In our eBook we share the process that you can take to turn what you love to do into a business or money making opportunity. Grab a copy of our eBook now to get started at   https://mindappz.com/Passion2Income/MA04977

Why I Don't Care About Lucid Dreaming

By William T Batten

In the field of mind training, sooner or later someone mentions lucid dreaming. It's one of those skills that's practically a superpower. You spend so much time asleep. Reclaiming that time, while still resting deeply, would be valuable. In a dream, you can learn and explore without the limits of time, space or matter. Your own virtual reality training pod.

I get why people like it. A younger version of me almost learned how to do it. What stopped me? I realised that, as incredible as the technique is, it wouldn't do much for me. I already knew something better.

Yes, I am confident enough to dismiss something that I call a superpower. Here's why.

I once built a library in my mind. Its tall shelves are packed with gorgeous, leather-bound books. It doesn't have any ladders or anything - I can fly to reach the top shelves. The entrance to the library has clear line of sight to the sitting area, which overlooks a beautiful forest. In the sitting area is a statue that changes every time I enter the library. I'm surprised by new rooms in this library, including an alchemy lab guarded by a metallic sphere.

If you turn right as soon as you enter the library, there's a room I call the auditorium. It's like the Room of Requirement from Harry Potter - its contents, layout and size change according to my needs. I go there to practice skills. I'm not bound by time or logic - if I'm in the right trance, I can spend hours in there while only minutes pass in real time.

Somewhere far from the library, I once spent time with a Martian farmer named Sam. Unlike me, he's pragmatic and grounded. I asked him for life advice and he told me things I never considered before. But I had to work for it - my manual labour in exchange for his wisdom. Oxygen ain't free on Mars, so even talking has a price. I offered to use my godlike powers over this mental scenario to build whatever he needed. The offer offended him. Strange guy.

In my mind, I have two places where I go to heal, dozens where I can relax, even a couple where I feel safe.

This sounds like lucid dreaming, except I can access these places in seconds while fully awake. And I can create new ones as easily.

To learn lucid dreaming, most instructors will tell you to interrupt your sleep. Spend the last two hours of your sleep napping in chunks of 20 minutes. Or set alarms randomly through the night. This wakes you when you are most likely to remember your dreams. Remembering dreams, they say, is the first step towards controlling them.

My hat comes off to these people. It takes discipline to change your sleep habits. And a lot of practitioners recommend spending weeks, if not months, on this step. I think it's great that people are willing to invest in themselves like this, to power through difficulties to reach the promised rewards.

I wish they knew what I knew, though. It took me a couple of days to learn something better than lucid dreaming. No need to disrupt my sleep.

So learning my approach is quicker, easier and more fun than making chicken scratchings in a dream journal.

What is my technique? You could call it meditation or self-hypnosis. Neither term is as cool (or as precisely defined) as lucid dreaming. But it works, so who cares about labels?

When you enter a trance state, random thought like to bubble up. Normally, you learn to ignore those distractions. For this technique, those thoughts are the raw material for your waking dream state.

In a dream, your unconscious mind controls the situation. Unlike your conscious mind with its fixation on details, your unconscious views things holistically. Its worlds are strange but they always draw inspiration from reality. And they draw inspiration from you. As you dream, you are open to all of this. Your conscious mind can't block or filter any of it. It pours into your awareness and consumes you.

The waking dream technique recreates this experience. It's easiest in a trance, so enter one if you know how and it's safe to do so right now. Hand control of your mental experience to your unconscious. Don't block, deny or judge anything that happens.

What do you do then? It depends what happens next. If nothing seems to be happening, then you're still holding the reins too tightly. Relax, focus on your breathing and wait a while. It'll come. Daydreaming is the easiest thing in the world - this is just a hypnotically enhanced version of it.

If you experience nothing but churning thoughts, the kind you get as you drift off to sleep, the congratulations. It's almost working. Focus on the experience. Calmly request a stable landscape from your unconscious. It'll provide one, or not. If not, try again a little later.

When a landscape appears - to matter what it is or how stable it is - interact with it. Touch the floor. Look around. Breathe the strange new air. Experience it. Accept it.

Sometimes your mind will throw something at you. A monster, a disaster, a group of thugs. Whatever it is, accept it. Talk to the monsters. What's the worst that they'll do? Kill you? So what? If they do, calmly reset. If your unconscious throws a tantrum, don't get angry. Show it patience and it will come around.

Carl Jung hallucinated terrible demons, even in an everyday state of mind. He wouldn't let them leave until they told him something valuable. That's the attitude I want you to take. Politely expect gifts from your inner monsters. They'll oblige.

All of this is the foundational skill for waking dreaming. Practice this until its smooth. Don't judge your unconscious mind. Kindly accept what it offers and politely request some changes. If your inner world is full of monsters, criticising yourself is their source. Treat them well. They'll come around.

When you feel ready with the foundations (take at least a day with this, longer if needed), then you can start to take more control. Not too much control - if your mind surprises you, you're doing it right. In time, you'll have a catalogue of mental landscapes to switch between. Entering them is as easy as accessing a memory. They're but a thought away.

The waking dream technique allows more conscious control than lucid dreaming. If you want less conscious control - if you want your mind to be truly free, to really surprise you - then you can program your dreams. Again, this is easier than lucid dreaming. You might not even remember your dreams. Even so, you'll awake with answers to whatever problems you choose.

I use dream programming about once a week, as it complements waking dreaming perfectly. It works most of the time, especially when I define my problems well.

The churning of your sleeping mind isn't random. Learn how to use it through the link below:

   https://guided-thought.com/downloads/unlock-vault-self-hypnosis/

The Passion That Broke Jesus As He Bled Compassion

By Steve Wickham

The betrayal in Gethsemane stands once for all time, the treachery of humanity against a God that devised us. Even of a sense that we may love God, we resist God and even repel God at times. Judas Iscariot lives in each of us; that fearful, greedy, self-obliging spirit.

The Passion of the Christ (2004) was released on February 25, 2004. I know because I was there. It was a poignant time in my life when God had my fullest attention and obedience. I was both broken and on fire.

It was a Wednesday. The preceding Monday (the 23rd) had seen me rocked to within an inch of my life - five months to the day of my very first cataclysmic rock bottom experience - and this event five months later was worse than anything else I'd experienced. I was at work in an industrial port location, a leader around many wild men, beside myself in a panic attack that lasted an hour or more, and on a helpline desperate for aid. Nothing could assuage the grief I experienced that day. There had been some conflict, and I had never felt more alone and vulnerable, ever. I took the opportunity to see the operations manager who was an empathic friend, and he ordered me to go home; a non-Christian, he even offered to pray for me to my God! The drive home was twenty minutes of mental Armageddon. I devised a plan, if you know what I mean. It was a silly plan that would never have worked, but I was frantic for escape. When I arrived home, I paced through the place in that living hell, just not able to settle, tormented within. That place represented death, and death threatened to envelope me.

I was in what felt like Gethsemane, though without the burden of all eternity's humanity crushing me.

This experience was the perfect taster for the days soon to come - to tearfully witness The Passion seven times over a fourteen-day timeframe. I sobbed throughout each showing, unashamed for what others thought. It really didn't bother me.

Jesus meant so much.

He suffered, and was scourged and mocked, and He bled, and His body was torn apart, and He DIED, for me!

They brutalised Him.

Only in the unconscionable is there the witness of a compassion that bleeds love.

What God showed me about Jesus' passion has stayed with me. It was only as I had been rejected that I came to understand how beautiful it was that Jesus was rejected. It was only from that situation - utterly alone but for five humans (my parents and my daughters) who were inextricably invested in me - that I came to understand how His love equalled the cross. A sacrifice I too could live. Feeling alone, betrayed, abandoned helped me relate with a Saviour who Himself had died alone, betrayed, abandoned.

Jesus' passion broke Him, and in this the Father was well pleased, for God's compassion is resplendent for all eternity in the passion of the Christ.

Steve Wickham holds Degrees in Science, Divinity, and Counselling. Steve writes at: http://epitemnein-epitomic.blogspot.com.au/ and http://tribework.blogspot.com.au/

Be Crazy Enough To Think You Can Change The World

By Sergei VanBellinghen

Be crazy enough to think you can change the world, and you just might. Although it looks like it is set in its ways, humanity is in fact extremely open to change by people who dare to swim against the tide of history. The major changes and inventions in evolution are always made by such mavericks.

So, which kind of person would you like to be? Are you crazy enough to make a change? Do you want to take the easy path, the one less traveled or create yours? Can you keep going even when all the odds are against you?

Very often, you hear a small voice which tells you that you cannot accomplish your goals. It is all in your mind and yet, you struggle to get rid of it. When you hear it, it is hard not to believe in it. But instead of fighting it, do exactly what it says you cannot do. That is how you can overcome doubt.

People frequently believe that if something did not yet happen in history, it is either because it cannot happen or it should not. So many people believe that there is no point in trying, all of that because someone crazy enough has or is trying already. But to change the world, you must think differently.

"Do not go where the path may lead but go instead where there is no path, and leave a trail." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Challenge the Status Quo
And yet, some eccentric people are crazy enough to work diligently towards their dreams. They do everything so that their vision comes true. And they are the ones who think they can change the world, knowing and believing in what they want to create. It is great to admire such successful people but you must not try to become them; rather be inspired by them to create your own.

Throughout the course of my life, I do not know why, but I always love to challenge the status quo. People often think I break the rules, but I do not see it that way. I mean, do not get me wrong, I am a maverick. And yes, rules and status quo have their place at times. But too many people in this world put their mind on automatic and just follow the easy road.

Yet, if the world wants to progress and move forward, it needs some mavericks to challenge the existing conditions once in a while. No matter what your belief or feelings are; it is true that all of us have the power to change the world. But only those who are crazy enough to think they can alter it do.

Be Crazy Enough
Know that you are born with the same amount of power embedded within you. So do not be afraid to think or be irrational if you have impossible dreams. Keep on pursuing them until you transform or revolutionize the globe. Throughout history, there are multiple accounts of people who were crazy enough to think that they could change the world and actually did.

And yet, too many people think they do not have such potential, ability, influence, or even good ideas to change things on this wonderful planet. Well, these people are right. The reason being is that, as always, you become what you think about. You create what is in your mind, never more.

But then, you have those creative thinkers full of confidence, the great visionaries that think and are sure they can create things. These are the people who change the world around us. So, you have to be a go-getter, an innovator, and more often than not, crazy enough to believe in your ideas.

"When 99% of people doubt your idea, you are either gravely wrong or about to make history." - Scott Belsky

Go Change the World
When you do go for your dreams, it is never going to make sense or be obvious. You are never going to walk out of your door and see a clear way that you have to go. But if you ever do, it is a trap. If you go down the path that is already laid for you, it is going to take you to all the destinations that are already known.

Thus, it is going to take you to all of the places that nature drove people before you. But if you want to go somewhere unique, someplace only you feel like going, create something new, change the world and really live a life that has meaning for you, you have to craft it on your own. You have to take the first step through faith.

"As you start walking out on the way, the way appears." - Rumi

And as you are looking at the choices that are before you, you may see a path that is well-traveled. But there is also another that is not yet visible which will not become something until you step on it. You have to understand that this is what your life means to be if you are crazy enough.

Use your Natural Ability
But if you do not, the only frustration you will look back on with tremendous defeat is regret. You will know that what you did was easy, and even though it was you; it was already made by others before you. Yet, there is a natural mechanism inside of you, something that wants you to walk a path that has never been walked before.

And that ability is, right now, inside of you, which makes it even harder. You feel a desperate desire for things to be easy. But it will not be easygoing, it will be hard, and you are going to stumble, fall on your face, fail, but that is the only way you can change the world.

"Only a man who knows what it's like to be defeated can reach down to the bottom of his soul and come up with the extra ounce of power it takes to win when the match is even." - Muhammad Ali

Crazy Enough to Change the World
So, what you have to ask yourself is what you want. Do you want it to be easy, and follow the path to be well-worn? Or do you want the road to be yours? It is better to know that inside you is a natural resource that you can reach into and grab. And that it will be there at the moment you most need it.

You have to know what type of person you are. If you are crazy enough to think you can change the world, you have to be willing to walk the path less traveled, the one that does not exist. You have to be able to tread through the brambles. And be willing to fall because it is throughout that process of failure, pain, agony, and suffering that you will become the person you dream to be.

Therefore, it is the process that will make you, you and what will shape you. And it is that suffering which gives you the reserve to draw on when you need it the most. However, when you ask for safety and ease, know that you say a prayer for weakness.

Walk your Own Path
But when you take the hard way, know that you are forging yourself. When you make those demands, know that you are building a reserve tank that will be there when you need it. And when you walk the path that only you can walk, know that you are living the life you are meant to live.

And that is how you become the 'you' worth becoming and change the world. It is what happened to me. So, be crazy enough and do not be afraid to stand by yourself. Do not just use your talents and abilities only for your own success. But make a difference with them. Do something of significance.

As a result, when you put all of those things together, it just causes you not to accept the status quo. The choice to be the person you want to be is all yours. Your inner power bubbles within. It waits to come up and explode, and nourish the world with changes.

Know you Can Change the World
Down the road, many years from now, you will be more disappointed in the chances that you never took than the ones you actually did. So, do not be afraid to simply take a leap of faith. Leave the shore, sail away from your comfort zone, discover the unknown and live your life.

As you know, we all have a limited time on earth. So, you do not need to live your life according to the views of others. Do not let people's beliefs take over the inner voice of your heart and soul. Be bold enough to follow your gut. And be crazy enough to think you can change the world, and then you will!

Sergei VanBellinghen, Personal Growth & Success Expert, Founder of First-Class Lifestyle & SergeiVanBellinghen.com
I help and teach people how to get a fresh start and have a brand-new style of living after a divorce, loss or if single.
I do this by using self-development techniques to help you grow, succeed and have a better life.
Remember, it's not just about growing but also about ending the routine. It's about the lifestyle of working less, living more and enjoying life!
Find Out How! Visit my Website http://sergeivanbellinghen.com and come to discover how I can afford to stay home and travel anywhere I want.

Decisive Plans That Bring You Closer To Your Goals

By Rosemarie Sumalinog Gonzales

If you don't let yourself be distracted, you make the required career changes. No longer sitting back, you're motivated to turn long-cherished plans into a promising and beneficial period for your career. If you focus on putting in place a decisive plan that brings you closer to your aims, little stands in your way.

Effective goal setting let you achieve what you want in life. However, many of us abandon our goals before we accomplish them because of lack of confidence, not having a workable plan, being unrealistic, fear of failure, and putting too much stress on ourselves to accomplish them.

In reality, we need to establish what really want to happen in our lives. If we set our mindset that we really deserve success, anything is possible. We just need to believe that we can do whatever we set our mind to. We need to believe that we can do what we set out to do and that we possess the talents and abilities for doing it. Unless we start with this crucial premise, our efforts will be thwarted and we will fall short of accomplishing what we want.

One of the biggest problems people have in setting goals effectively is not knowing what they really want. The lack of a clear idea makes it difficult to proceed. The one thing all successful people have in common is that they are extremely focused and intensely goal-oriented. Every time they set something on their minds, can really be realized through positive mental attitude.

Try to chunk down you goals into little bits because if you want to achieve all at once, you might find it daunting and overwhelming, so it's best to organize and prioritize your goals. Devise a workable plan for each goal you want to accomplish. Since careers take a lot of time and effort to establish, then, planning and organizing your moves makes good sense.

Review and update developmental goals on a regular basis to ensure they are still relevant to you and keeps you on track and taking the appropriate steps and actions. If some of your strategies aren't working, fine tune them, or devise new ones. Anticipate distractions and obstacles along the way. Plan ahead of time what you need to do to overcome them and if it's not working, try to revise and adjust your priorities.

Staying focused and motivated is one of the toughest things to do when setting goals. It is natural to fall every now and then but it is important to get back on track as soon as possible. Make it a habit to review your goals periodically to stay on track.

Effective goal setting allows us to achieve whatever we aspire in life. Without it we would drift aimlessly and waste valuable time and effort in pursuits that lead nowhere. So, what are you waiting for? So start now! Decide which among your goals are most significant to you and devise a plan to accomplish them.

Goals are what take us forward in life. t's very important that we realize the significance and importance of decisive plans that bring us closer to our goals.

Why Should You Book a Tours and Travel Company?

By Shalini Madhav

Monotonicity. The word itself is monotonous, but it accurately describes the mechanical nature of our mundane lives. You go to work, come back, eat, sleep and you repeat it again tomorrow like clockwork. Do you ever wonder how to break this routine? The answer is simple, travel. Seeing new places excites new feelings inside us, giving us new perspective towards existing things, thus overwriting the obsolete ones. But planning a travel itinerary is a hectic process and most of the times you worry about how to reach a destination instead of enjoying the journey to that destination. Then the best course of action is to employ a travel company to do your planning and then you are left to enjoy your journey and nothing else. But should you take the services of a travel company? If these thoughts are clouding your mind then, let me clear them for you and explain why you should opt for my suggestion.

1. Convenient

Since all the necessary reservations would be done for you beforehand, even before you reach your destination, you can skip the long queues and jump straight into the experience you booked to enjoy. It is always a good idea to reserve your time for experiences rather than waiting for that experience to happen eventually. Thus, it is hugely convenient and a time-saving option.

2. Deals

Tour and travel companies usually have good relations with hotels, restaurants, etc. and can provide you with fantastic deals over your reservations. This saves you a lot of money which you can spend on other things and exploit more fun out of your travel. We all love saving some cash and if you have the same mindset, you know what you have to do here.

3. Recommendations

A good tour and travel company tries to enhance your trip by recommending what else you should be doing besides your usual preplanned itinerary. We almost never know the hidden gems of the places we visit until and unless a local tells you about it. The company knows a lot about the travel they are planning for you and also recommends what you might as well be doing which many travelers may not know.

4. Timeline

Since your trip is organized by a third party, they can provide you with a timeline of your journey, explaining in detail beforehand what lies ahead on your path. Knowing what to do and when to do, helps us avoid any unprecedented situations and makes our trip go smoothly and we can enjoy to our fullest without worrying about a single thing.

5. Solutions to your problems

The last and the best advantage of employing tours and travel company is that you can address any problem which you encounter on your journey and you can rest assured that the problem will be solved as soon as possible. You will not be facing any problems on your own and everything can be handled by the company itself and instead, you can use up your own time on meaningful things like making memories.

So, are you pumped up with adrenaline and want to unleash your desire of wanderlust. Do you want to break your routine and explore the world out there waiting for you? If your answer is yes, book a trip with Las Vegas Tours Today and have an adventure of a lifetime.

Article Source:  Why Should You Book a Tours and Travel Company?

Interview With J Stewart Willis, Author of "Deadly Highway"

By Sheri Hoyte

J. Stewart Willis grew up in Alexandria, Virginia and went to the United States Military Academy, from which he graduated in 1958 and served for twenty-five years in the Army. During that time, he served in Taiwan and later in Vietnam as Signal Officer of the 173rd Airborne Brigade. During his Army career, he attended graduate school at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, earning an MS and PhD in Physics. He served as a Professor of Physics at the United States Military Academy for sixteen years before retiring from the Army in 1983. He next worked for TRW Inc. as a manager working on communications projects and the Department of Energy's Nuclear Waste Project at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. During this time, he lived in Rappahannock County, Virginia, where he has lived ever since. There he served as the elected mayor of Washington, Virginia (often referred to as "Little Washington") for nine years. He currently lives in Sperryville, Virginia with Charlie, his greyhound/borzoi cross.

Welcome back, Stewart. For new readers you can find my previous interview with J. Stewart Willis on his debut novel, Gestation Seven, at readerviews.com. Today we're going to talk about your latest book, Deadly Highway. What is this story about?

The story centers around the personnel at the east coast division of a major tech company who are preparing a proposal for a major contract for a highway to replace the Interstate Highway System. The contract will potentially be worth millions of dollars, and perhaps billions over many years, and will ensure the future of the company, as well as its new east coast vice president. As a result there is enormous pressure on the proposal manager and his internally competitive staff to win the bid. The book involves not only the development of the proposal, but also the competitive and cut-throat actions and interactions of the staff and their wives.

How did you come up with the idea for this book?

I try to write my books involving topics or approaches to topics which are not ordinarily addressed in novels. In my past, I worked for a tech company and was involved in the development of three proposals. Although my experiences developing those proposals were

constructive and friendly, the idea of a proposal development in a more acrimonious atmosphere seemed to provide the opportunity for the development of a novel. That atmosphere, far different from my own experience, is what I've portrayed in Deadly Highway.

Tell us about a couple of your more colorful characters. What motivates them?

Charlie Hendricks is a newly retired army colonel trying to establish himself in industry and competing with the more established employees at the tech company. He is a man who wants to be where the action is and is suffering to some extent in the atmosphere of paper pushing.

Linda Hendricks is a woman who has been an army wife for twenty years and has suffered through her husband being in Iraq and Afghanistan for three tours while she is raising two sons. In her frustration with what she views as a dull life, she has an affair which she comes to regret.

Bella Fortiano is the wife of a long-time employee of the tech company. Over the years, by sleeping with the proposal manager and supplying drugs to the manager's wife, she has protected and supported the position of her husband's position in the company. When she discovers Linda Hendricks's affair, she uses it to blackmail her husband's new competitor.

How do you create your characters? Are they inspired by real people?

Some of the characters are loosely based on some of the people I knew in the army and in industry as a starting point, but from there I went off with my imagination. Fortunately, I haven't really known any of them.

Which character do you relate to most and why?

Charlie Hendricks, because I retired from the army and went into industry.

What is it about corporate politics that inspires such creative plot lines?

The politics of the book are a little extreme, but I have known manages who were very competitive, along with their wives, in working on friendships with their bosses.

I was intrigued by some of the ideas your characters came up with for building a new highway system, especially some of the methods for guiding and controlling traffic using technology. Is this the realistic future?

I believe the concept of self-driving cars will govern the design of the highways of the future and hopefully, the software involved will allow overall control of the traffic on the highways to improve safety.

How extensive was your research for this novel, particularly as it relates to building a highway system?

Mostly I reviewed the government regulations associated with procurement. Self driving cars, of course, receive extensive discussion in the media which we all read.

What have you learned since writing your first book, Gestation Seven?

I think people want stronger characters. Gestation was about a young man overcome by circumstances and surviving in that atmosphere.

Being an author these days involves more than just writing great books - what are you doing to market yourself and your book and what's been your biggest challenge?

I have spent an incredible amount of money with "professional" marketers with little effect. I do book signings, but the impact is small. I also work Twitter and Facebook, but my contacts there are often other writers with the same problems I have. The whole process is competitive and difficult.

What do you love most about being a writer?

Hearing someone say they enjoyed my book.

Do you have a muse? How does he motivate you?

No. I've had ideas in my mind for years and am now trying to put them to paper.

Do you ever experience writer's block? If so, how do you get past it?

No. My books to date have followed what happens through time. As a result I just write what happens next.

What can you tell us about your writing process?

I have a few ideas to build around and then just sit down and write linearly to include those ideas.

What's next? Do you have another project in the works?

I am currently working on a book entitled "Three Degrees Fahrenheit, and Rising" set in the year 2087. At the time some of the coastal lowlands of the U.S. are flooded by a rising sea, people are moving inland, and jobs are hard to find.

Taking what you've learned with two novels under your belt, what advice can you give aspiring authors?

Since I haven't been very successful so far, I'm reluctant to give advice. I think I have written interesting books and have gotten good feedback on them. You need to get people to read your books. With the thousands of books out there that's difficult to do.

Do you have a website or blog (or both) where readers can learn more about you and your books?

My website is www.JStewartWillis.com.

How can readers connect with you on social media?

On Facebook:   J Stewart Willis

On Twitter: @jstewartwillis7

Is there anything else you'd like to add?

If you write, enjoy the writing. Be careful about spending money on marketing. The cost can eat you alive.

Interview by Sheri Hoyte for Reader View March 2018 http://www.readerviews.com.

Article Source: Interview With J Stewart Willis, Author of "Deadly Highway"

Novel Set During World War II at English Country Estate Wins Historical Fiction Award

By Tyler Tichelaar

Wickwythe Hall by Judithe Little is the kind of book I love, so I'm not at all surprised that it won First Place for Historical Fiction in this year's Reader Views Literary Awards. It's the perfect blend of history and interesting characters you come to care about. Right from the opening pages, the reader is caught up in the dilemma faced by Annelle, a young French woman who was orphaned with her two brothers and grew up in a convent. It's May 1940 and the Germans have just invaded France. Annelle has intended to become a nun, but now with her older brothers fighting in North Africa and the sisters at the convent wanting to pray rather than flee to safety, Annelle makes the split decision to flee south, hoping to reach North Africa and find her brothers. The reader witnesses Annelle's excruciating flight along the French roads, on her bicycle until it is damaged, and then on foot. Eventually, through a twist of events, she gets out of France, but rather than going to North Africa, she finds herself a refugee in England.

And that's just what happens in the opening chapter.

Once in England, Annelle finds herself working at Wickwythe Hall. The other servants are suspicious that she might be a spy, but all Annelle is concerned about is finding a way to communicate with her brothers. The large English country estate is owned by Tony and Mabry Springs. Tony is a landed British aristocrat, but Mabry is an American heiress who isn't as caught up in doing things the English way as her husband and those around her. Mabry is very concerned that the war will soon lead to an invasion of England, and she is doing everything she can to help the war effort, including taking in twenty-three children who are being sent to the country from London for their safety.

Tony and Mabry also have connections with important people, including Prime Minister Winston Churchill. One week, Churchill comes to visit and the house is turned into central command for the war effort. It is hard enough for Mabry and the staff to meet all of Churchill's idiosyncratic requests, but even harder for Mabry is that in Churchill's entourage is Reid Carr, a fellow American whose proposal of marriage she long ago refused.

Mabry's married life has not been perfect. She and Tony have tried many times to have children, always leading to miscarriages; as a result, they have grown apart. Now Mabry finds herself wondering whether Reid is still interested in her and whether she is still interested in him. He is flirtatious, pointing out that the Mabry he once knew would have been more willing to go swimming at night and do plenty of other things Mabry no longer has an inclination for.

But Reid is not really at Wickwythe Hall to flirt. President Roosevelt, unable to get Congress to back him in declaring war on Germany, has sent Reid to be his unofficial ambassador to keep him and Churchill informed of each other's activities. Once Mabry gets some inkling of Reid's purpose, she asks him if he can help Annelle find her brothers. This request results in a chain of events beyond what any of the characters can control.

What makes Wickwythe Hall such a wonderful novel is that the characters come to life in its pages. I became deeply enmeshed in their decisions and especially Mabry's temptations to break her marriage vows to be with Reid. The novel's conclusion is not what I would have expected, and yet it ends perfectly. The other great thing about this novel is that not only is it historically accurate but it teaches the reader new things about history. Operation Catapult, which I had never heard of before, becomes central to the novel. It concerns Churchill's efforts to keep the French fleet from becoming Hitler's property to be used against England. I won't say more about how Little works this historical event into the plot because it will ruin the novel's suspense.

I also appreciated the descriptions in the novel. I'm not big on a lot of description, but I think Judithe Little knows how to sprinkle in description as appropriate to give color without boring the reader. Some of her scenes are downright magical, such as of the orphans playing at Wickwythe Hall and descriptions of the landscape. In addition, Little's style rather reminded me of one of my other favorite English wartime novels, The Castle on the Hill by Elizabeth Goudge. Little knows how to reassure us of good in the world, while still giving us a realistic depiction of how frightening and stressful war can be, and how brave the English were in their opposition to Hitler.

All around, Wickwythe Hall will appeal to World War II history buffs, Anglophiles like myself, and anyone who loves a good love story about strong, realistic, and well-rounded characters. You'll find it hard to put down.

Article Source:  Novel Set During World War II at English Country Estate Wins Historical Fiction Award

Software Auditing Purpose

By Isha Rose

Software auditing is an independent examination of a software product or processes to assess compliance with specifications, standards, contractual agreements. A software Quality Assurance, where the software is audited for quality. Software auditing process are conducted for the purpose of making sure the business' software is properly working, meeting standard criteria, and legal. If any company's software meets in standard criteria, that means it has been verified that sufficient licenses have been obtained to cover the software that business is using.

Audit software helps to organize audit information so businesses can make coordinated decisions with a generalized idea of the company's financial statistics. Auditing software is also usually designed to speed auditing processes within an organization. Audit software includes; department to department audit Software, automation, fraud detection, audit exporting, data mining, and network security.

Centralized audit software helps to auditors create standards regarding audits, according to the master control, an audit management software system. Email notifications can be set up so that appropriate personnel and management can be alerted to problems discovered through the audits. Different companies have different needs and each company can have different email notification setups. Audit software is designed to automate many aspects of the auditing process so that time and company resources can be saved. Many types of auditing software allow auditors to focus on specific areas in the business so that the business can prioritize, according to software auditing. Auditor software often attempts to find abnormal data to determine if there is any fraud occurring within the according to audit software. Data extraction and analysis software takes data found in certain forms, such as statistics taken from the operation of software, and analyzes and summarizes this data. This process is called data mining. Some auditing programs are designed to assess network security also.

There are five steps include the software audit; initially determine which applications to be audited, then run a report on current usage with a usage tool, then check that report have created and determine the non-usage software, after this determine which users have not used the applications for more than 60 days, then determine by the usage report if the correct versions of the applications are being used. Finally install and run a report from a tool and establish the updated compliance figures. So a software audit is important because it is a cost-saving method for you to remove software you no longer use, and it can help you identify which programs you will need to reclaim in the future.

Article Source: Software Auditing Purpose

Data Recovery: How to Recover From a Hard Drive Failure

By Loveleen Talwar

Context:
Unfortunately, most home users, and many business users, do not back up their systems. Moreover, many small businesses have older back-up procedures that are often ineffective for recovering files.

Of course, you can run down to your neighborhood electronics store and purchase a replacement drive for your computer, but what about your data on the failed hard drive? How important was it? Did you save it or back it up?

What to do:
If you need to recover data on the hard drive, the first thing to do is avoid trying to reboot or doing anything that involves the drive. Doing so can actually do more damage to your data.

The only irreversible data loss is caused by overwriting bits, physical damage to the drive platters or destruction of the magnetization of the platters, which seldom happens in the real world. In the majority of cases, the malfunction is caused by a damaged circuit board, failure of a mechanical component and crash of internal software system track or firmware.

In the case of actual hard drive failure, only a data recovery professional can get your data back. And the fact that you cannot access your data through your operating system does not necessarily mean that your data is lost.

As a "rule of thumb," if you hear a clicking sound emitting from your hard drive, or if the computer's S.M.A.R.T. function indicates an error during the boot process, something is wrong. You should immediately stop using the hard drive in order to avoid causing further damage and, potentially, rendering the information on the hard drive unrecoverable.

After receiving your failed hard drive, a data recovery specialist's first step will be to try and save an image of the damaged drive onto another drive. This image drive, not the actual damaged drive, is where the data recovery specialist will try to recover the lost data.

The next step in the imaging process is to determine if the hard-drive failure was an actual malfunction, a system corruption or a system track issue.

System corruption and system track issues are normally fixed by using a specialist's data recovery software. System corruption or system track recoveries do not require processing in a clean room environment.

Conclusion:
Unfortunately, damage to a drive's circuit board or failure of the head drives is not uncommon. In each of these failures, a data recovery specialist should work on the system only in a clean room environment. There, the specialist can substitute parts such as drive electronics, internal components, read/write arms, writing/reading heads, spindle motors or spindle bearings from a donor drive in order to gain access to the data on the failed hard drive. In most cases, the data recovery specialist is able to retrieve and return the lost data.

Article Source:  Data Recovery: How to Recover From a Hard Drive Failure

11 Reasons Transportation Companies Must Buy Secondhand Shuttle Buses

By Charles Kaufman

From churches, and schools, to public transport, secondhand shuttle buses are in very high demand by many enterprises. Even entertainers and individual executives regularly prefer buying secondhand shuttle buses over new ones for various reasons.

Buying a secondhand bus is different from buying a used personal car or any other vehicle. Through research and preliminary thoughts are needed, there are many reasons why you should consider buying a used shuttle bus especially if you are in the transportation business. Below are eleven reasons to buy a secondhand bus.

11 Reasons Transportation Companies Must Buy Secondhand Shuttle Buses

1. Customization - Equipment's and Parts on a used bus can be easily added, changed, replaced or removed, whereas you do not have this option when you buy a new bus. For example, you can increase or decrease the number of passenger seats to add more luggage space or wheelchair capacity to your bus. Similarly, you can even add a lavatory and a wash basin if needed, with the right amount of money you can make any changes you want to a used bus.

2. Save Money - You will save a lot of money by buying used buses. A transportation company needs to make profit, and the best deal is to search for cheap and reliable buses. Purchasing used or secondhand shuttle bus is the best option and if you are searching for more than one bus, it is possible to find quality buses at a cheaper cost than buying brand new buses.

3. Reliability - If you would like an affordable bus that will offer services for a long time, go for secondhand buses. Used shuttle buses simply last longer than new buses. This means you can save money and expect a good service life from these buses.

4. Clean Auto Check Report - When buying a secondhand vehicle, you might need to obtain some reports concerning it. It is possible to get that even before purchasing the vehicle. Some of the information you can obtain include previous owners, previous status, accident, repairs, mileage validation and law history among many others. Even though the history report may not help to identify all concerns, easy access to such information brings peace of mind when purchasing the vehicle.

5. Road Tested - Used shuttle buses are road tested and certified ready to hit the road. Most secondhand buses are sold by airport transport companies who prefer new ones for foreigners. This means you can find a quality shuttle bus for your transportation business.

6. Overall Deal - Your budget of buying a transportation bus can purchase more secondhand shuttle buses than brand new ones. The overall deal is great and you can quickly expand your transportation business with pre-owned buses.

7. Low Registration Fee - Registration fee for most vehicles is based on its price. Since shuttle buses that have already been used are cheaper, it means you will pay low registration costs. Cheaper buses mean cheaper fees. So, you can also save on registration costs as well.

8. Cheaper Insurance - The insurance of any vehicle is determined by its value. Since you will buy the bus at a lower cost, it means you will pay cheaper insurance rates. This is also beneficial to your company since you might be acquiring many busses.

9. Lower Depreciation - New buses typically drop by more than 11 percent once they hit the road. Also, during the first year, the bus will lose more than 30 percent of its value. But this is not the case with secondhand buses. The depreciation is already low, and you get the best value for your money.

10. Drive a Better Bus at Low Price - For people who have purchased used buses in the past; they can confirm that it is possible to find a comfortable bus for transportation business at an affordable price. No matter the model of the bus you need, you can find one at secondhand dealers.

11. Storage Capacity - For transportation companies, storage capacity is essential when buying any bus, whether old or new. When buying a secondhand shuttle, it is possible to find one that meets your storage requirements, the seats can be increased or decreased as per your specific requirements. There are many cheap buses that can transport any kind of baggage.

Final word

Buying a used shuttle bus is no longer riskier than before. Today, there are many secondhand buses that are affordable and are far much better than new ones. By obtaining the bus history/Auto Check report, you can easily tell vital details about the past of the bus. In addition, the report guarantees that you are investing your money in a worthy asset.

So, whether you are adding a fleet of transportation buses, or planning to start a transportation company, buying secondhand shuttle buses is the best option.

If you still have questions on how a used shuttle bus can benefit your transportation business then feel free to call us today at 844-612-7122 or see our inventory of more than 40 used shuttle buses for sale here http://www.GetAnyBus.com

Article Source:  11 Reasons Transportation Companies Must Buy Secondhand Shuttle Buses

Finding The Best Repairing Services For Apple Products

By Michael Clark

There are various Apple specialists in the market today and everyone claims to be the most skilled and having a superior knowledge than the others. We realize that in that group of repair specialists, there are a few specialists of Apple brand who can repair your iPhone, iPad or Mac PCs.

However, it's important to hire only professional, skilled, and experienced specialists, since there can be some unskilled people who can ruin your device instead of repairing it.

All in all, how would you guarantee that your iPhone, iPad or Mac PC has arrived in the experienced hands of the best Apple products service provider?

To start with, it is suggested to take your iPad, iPhone or your Mac PC to an approved Apple centre if the device is still under warranty time. If you don't know about the addresses of approved Apple centres in your city, then use the internet to locate their centre. The web will list down all the approved Apple centres in your city, and you can choose one that you find the closets in your home or office.

In any case, if your iPhone or the iPad`s warranty time has lapsed or the device is encountering an issue that isn't secured by the warranty, at that point, you ought to consider getting it repaired by a specialist.

You ought to be cautious while picking who will repair your Mac PCs, iPad, or iPhone. Find out about their reputation, whether they are genuine repairers or not, and discover how dependable they are. You also need to make sure that you have info about for how long they have been repairing Apple products, what their past clients say in regards to their services, and a lot more things.

Such info will enable you to make the correct choice and guarantee that you give your costly Apple device in the hands of exceedingly experienced and skilful individual.

Ensure that you visit the service centre on your own and discover how skilful, learned, and experienced the specialists are. Keep in mind that the specialists ought to be learned, fully prepared, and with proper certifications. For instance, you'll be relieved to see an authentic certificate of approval that showcases the eligibility of the repairman. On the other hand, an inexperienced person can make the condition of your Apple gadget worse.

In conclusion, consider getting your Apple device repaired from an authentic Mac service centre that offers, at least a month's warranty for their services. This implies you are secured for no less than 30 days, and if your iPhone or iPad builds up a similar issue after repair, you can take it back and get the issue resolved without extra costs.

Article Source:  Finding The Best Repairing Services For Apple Products

Top 7 E-Commerce Website Design Trends of 2018

By Pratap Ranjan Singh

As evident by the numbers, the e-commerce market has grown tremendously over the years. Moreover, it is a fast-growing market with faster changing trends, which one needs to adapt to fetch the maximum results.

E-commerce, that once started with the sale of a handful of products, now encompasses each and every product imaginable. From books to electrical equipment's - everything can be purchased online. Until a few years, back e-commerce was something that was conducted using laptops and desktop, but the past few years have seen an increase in the use of mobile devices to make a purchase from e-commerce sites. This has made it necessary for online businesses to have a mobile-friendly version of their site, as a result of which mobile friendly-commerce website development is on the rise. Besides the use of mobile sites, there has also been a rapid increase in the use of mobile apps. All these factors have contributed to e-commerce becoming a major part of the retail landscape.

With the growing importance of e-commerce, let us have a look at the top 7 e-commerce website design trends for this year.

Mobile-friendly design

Considering how important mobile devices have become, it is not a surprise that a mobile-friendly website design is one of the most important e-commerce trends this year. As stated above, the rise in m-commerce has made it critical for business owners to come up with a responsive design to their site. A responsive design adapts to different mobile devices and eliminates the need to develop x no. of designs for x no. of mobile devices.

Use of templates

In the year 2014, Google launched its "Material Design" motif, which is a template used for developing Android Apps. An increasing number of e-commerce websites are now using the same design principles that "Material Design" is based on. Using the "Material Design" motif doesn't mean that your website will be identical to others, as there is a lot of scope for customization.

Efficient loading and layout

Efficient loading and layout of the site especially in the case of mobile devices should be a major concern among developers. This means that when a user opens the website, that what is important should load first. In the case of e-commerce websites, it is product-listing. So, instead of loading 100 products on one page, developers should focus on loading 10 products per page, and load subsequent sets of 10 if the user scrolls down further. One should note that e-commerce websites that load easily on mobile will appeal more to the users rather than the ones that take a lot of time to load.

Use of hamburger menus

Another trend this year would be the increase in the use of hamburger menus. Hamburger menus are typically defined by three horizontal lines, and they offer a convenient way to hide or reveal the menu, as necessary. This essential feature of the hamburger menu makes the site easier to navigate. The easier it is to navigate the site, the more appealing it is to the users.

Cinemographs

This year will also see an increased use of cinematographers on e-commerce websites. Cinematographers is a midway point between an animated GIF and a static image. It usually consists of an image with animated text over it, although in some cases a part of the image may itself be animated. Cinematographers are easier to load on mobile as compared to gifs. This is because when a series of GIF's are added to a page, the data requirement or the load time goes up significantly.

Adaptation

Websites adapting to different devices is no news, but in the future websites may adapt to the user themselves. For instance, as per the age or the web activity of the user, the website will be able to show some elements more prominently than the others. In other words, the website would be able to re-order itself.

The elements of the site would also shift either to the left or to the right depending on whether the user is left-handed or right-handed. For people who are color-blind, the site may also alter its color-palette.

Use of grid layout

The use of grids in e-commerce websites is one of the simplest yet effective forms of design. Grids use the available space efficiently and are also easy to navigate. A growing trend this year would be e-commerce sites adopting the grid layout but removing the borders, thus allowing the grid to blend into the rest of the page.

Keeping these top 7 trends in mind, it is about time you begin the exciting journey of your e-commerce website development.

Article Source: Top 7 E-Commerce Website Design Trends of 2018

Any-To-Any Integration: Don't Buy an Integration Tool Without This Functionality

By Prince L Kumar

Any-to-any integration is a key functionality which any modern day integration technology needs to offer. It is a core capability which helps in getting data from partner systems at the right time in the right place. It helps companies in navigating through complex and costly IT environment. Yesterday's iPaaS integration systems don't provision this smart functionality. It is a unique capability to transform any source data format with source data format. That's why choosing an integration solution without this capability can be a costly mistake.

Enterprises are buying integration solutions to combine new and old systems and simplify their IT environment. However they are recklessly embracing new technologies without evaluating the integration functionalities. Combining a highly convoluted legacy IT environment where a mix of cloud and on premise applications are running in parallel is not possible without any-to-any integration. Here are some benefits that you get with the tool.

Makes You Easier to Do Business With: Plays a critical role in smoothing electronic data interchange with partners and clients. Leverages a no-code self service integration approach that reduces customer data on-boarding by 70%.

Puts IT in a Governance Role: Provides a central platform where IT assumes a governance role and business users can handle operational load. Allows IT to focus on other important roles. IT teams can focus on building integration and business users can build integrations faster.

Optimizes Resources and Lowers Cost: Delivers faster go to market capabilities that accelerate time to revenue. Drives down operational cost by 80% and increases profit margins by 20%. Less coding means less cost involved and improved time to revenue. Businesses can transact documents faster and lower the cost involved significantly.

Foundational support to IT: Scales to address pervasive integration needs. The enterprise class integration solution handles any-to-any integration scenarios. It performs polyglot programming for combining systems. This means businesses can transact structured, unstructured files with top most integrity.

Faster Data Deployment and Safer Data Exchange: Provides secure, end-to-end encrypted environment for all data that is transferred and exchanged between partners. Pre-built application connectors ensure secure electronic data interchange across hybrid IT environments.

Many businesses are haphazardly adopting integration technologies for consolidating business systems, connecting with partners, and driving business forward. The motive remains maximizing business benefits and staying ahead of the competition. However, after squandering huge money on integration tech they are failing to make the most out of their  integration technologies. Unfortunately, many organizations have little understanding to the integration technologies and most of them are making wrong choices.

Prince is a Technocrat at Adeptia who has credible skills in the area of database automation, data validation, exception handling and back-end data integration. His expertise resides in his ability to quickly diagnosing the roadblocks to mission-critical IT initiatives and generating a need-based response. Leveraging his in-depth knowledge with a wide spectrum of software, i.e., ESB integration, Data Integration, Enterprise Application Integration (EAI), Business-to-business (B2B) Integration, and Business Process Management (BPM) Prince has helped many reputed client in accomplishing their business goals.

Article Source:  Any-To-Any Integration: Don't Buy an Integration Tool Without This Functionality

Mobile App Development Trends in 2018

By Bhatt Digant

After a successful 2017, the mobile app industry is all set to take up and meet challenges in 2018. The mobile development scenario is on the way to maturing and becoming more user- friendly. It aims at integration of business needs and technical issues.

Mobile Application Performance Manager

Experience in the last year reveals that though the app market has performed well, there are less number of apps downloads per user. Developers are now looking at apps that engage and satisfy users and also encourage regular use of their apps. The aim is to make them technically sound and simultaneously increase the demand for use.

Blockchain technology

The sudden and meteoric rise in use of Bitcoins has fueled interest in mobile blockchain technology. Developers are ready to latch on to this interest. Their only concern would be to determine the benefits of using the new technology to replace the old SQL database for individual apps.

Machine Learning

Apple's Core ML Library has introduced built-in ML models. This gives developers a convenient way to include ML technology in iOS apps. in 2018 app developers are expected to leverage this advantage.

Chatbots

Chatbots were launched in 2016. They created messaging platforms using the bot to be used on websites. This year these bots are set to expand their domain to mobiles. Developers find it easy to use chatbots. They neither have to learn new interface nor do they need to develop native apps that need regular updating.

Android Instant App

This new entrant is likely to become a favorite this year. It needs no installation and is compatible with all OS. The possibility of embedding it in Google search engines acts as added advantage.

Optimized Mobile Page

Google AMP makes web browsing on mobiles faster. Domains are using AMP to reach and engage more users. More and more apps are expected to convert to AMP to leverage advantage.

5G is on its way

5G is ready to deliver speed. It will work up to sixty times faster than the present 4G technology. This new network is to roll out slowly with the USA based service providers taking the lead.

Return of the Cloud

2018 will see cloud-based apps rise to a whopping 89%. Cloud storage is secure. It clears space on devices and does not eat into device memory making it a preferred storage for private and commercial use. Mobile Backend as a Service allows for data to move back and forth from cloud to device easily, conveniently and fast.

Wearables will continue to grow this year. Security concerns will be a part of app development as more and more transactions are performed using mobiles. Developers will be engaged in developing more and more on-demand apps as their usage increases and startups begin to look at these as a means of reaching customers. Virtual reality and Augmented Reality apps will see an increase in demand and will drive the field of mobile app development.

Elite Infoworld is a custom mobile application development company in India offers Android & iPhone apps development services worldwide.

Article Source: Mobile App Development Trends in 2018

Top 5 Issues Keeping Food Processing Industries Up at Night

By Arjun N

The Indian food industry is considered to be a sunrise sector because of its large potential for growth and socio-economic impact. It is estimated as a $258 Billion industry with about 8% growth annually with a potential to reach $482 billion by 2020 with large investment in food processing, technical innovation and infrastructure for agriculture sector. India could well become the food basket of the world. With the second largest arable land in the world, India is the largest producer of milk, pulses, sugarcane and tea in the world and the second largest producer of wheat, rice, fruits and vegetables. Indian agriculture being the primary supporter caters to around 60% of the population for their livelihood and contributes to 17% of the GDP. Below are some issues keeping the food processing industry up at night.

1. Preservation of raw food is also a major concern for the industry. In goods such as diary, fruits & vegetables, meat processing, a little contamination can lead to destruction of the lot of raw materials making it highly risky. The industries would have to be staffed around the clock to be able to keep tabs on the raw materials, preventing them from spoiling and infestation.

2. Hygiene - Absence of Hygiene cannot only contaminate the raw materials but can also make the finished product toxic. Also, hygiene does not play a role just in the raw material but also in the processing. Installing the correct facilities for staff to ensure proper personal hygiene is met, also contributes towards meeting food safety requirements.

3. Toxin Removal - Food processing facilities rely on the use of potentially dangerous chemicals for sanitation and pest control. Because of this attention has to be applied to reduce the risk of accidental environmental contamination during the food processing cycle, failing which it can make the food toxic. Establish cleaning and disinfection programmes to ensure the correct hygiene standards are met and reduce the risk of a foodborne illness outbreak.

4. Technology and Automation - The Indian food processing industry is mainly made up of smallscale and unorganised players. A lack of innovation in this sector leads the industry to make use of the same old techniques and hence, very little margin for improvement in yield. This is hindering the progress the industry should be making, leading to more manual labour to achieve their results and consumes more process time which can be reduced through implementation of technology. Implementing automation can decrease the process time in certain processes like in mincing or liquefaction.

5. Increased Competition - Organic Products are getting a good boost in the market today, and food processing industries are known to deplete nutrition off the food products. Hence, adding nutrition or preserving the nutrition in the food products has become a necessity. With increasing competition, the Food processing industries are always busy in discovering innovative ways to keep up in the market like using macerated fruits as a sweetener in order to make the food healthier.

Register at SolutionBuggy to find material management and manufacturing consultant / experts in quick time and get your projects done.

SolutionBuggy is an exclusive and dedicated platform for the Manufacturing Sector in India. It seamlessly bridges the gap between the industrial sector and professionals for on-demand consultation and services including projects. It connects SMEs and Large Scaled Industries with Industrial Consultants/ Experts and Industrial Product Suppliers over the internet for collaboration and success.

It is an integrated platform wherein industries can share their issues/ problems and post requirements; consultants/ experts can showcase their capabilities and offer services and solutions and suppliers can list their products to match the industry requirements.
Site link:   https://www.solutionbuggy.com/

Article Source:  Top 5 Issues Keeping Food Processing Industries Up at Night

Marrowstone Point Light and the "Triangle of Fire"

By Katy Beacher

About October 1 1888 a lens lantern with a red light was mounted on a pole to mark the eastern entrance to Port Townsend Bay. In 1892 the Lighthouse board recommended a large fog bell be installed to warn of the sharp turn in the course when entering for leaving Puget Sound. $3,500 was allocated by Congress on March 3 1893 and a one and one half story six-room keepers house with a fog bell tower was built and put into operation on April 7, 1896. The huge 1,200 pound bell would strike twice every fifteen seconds during periods of fog or low visibility.

Seventy-year-old former sea captain Osmore H Morgan was the first keeper. He had spent the prior fourteen years as head keeper at the New Dungeness Lighthouse. His daughter, Nettie Race took over after his passing in 1907. A few months later Axel Rustad was appointed keeper and he and wife Karen took over. They stayed for ten years raising four sons in the keepers quarters. The only water for the family was rain water collected and stored in a 5,000-gallon redwood tank which was located in a shed behind the house.

In July 1903 the North Pacific, a side wheel steamer struck Craven Rock off Marrowstone Point in a dense fog. The steamer had 14 passengers aboard who were taken to shore by lifeboats and the tug boat C. B. Smith. Lighthouse keeper Morgan fed and sheltered them until they were taken aboard the steamer Mainlander which had run aground on Marrowstone Point that same morning but was afloat again at high tide. The North Pacific was a total loss as it sank in deep water.

In 1907 construction of Fort Flagler was completed. Fort Flagler joined with the guns at Fort Casey on Admiralty Head and the guns at Fort Worden near Point Wilson to form a "Triangle of Fire" to prevent enemy vessels from entering Puget Sound

Dense fog caused another mishap in August 1908. The 502-foot-long armored cruiser USS Colorado ran aground on Liplip Point the southeast tip of Marrowstone Island. This incident cast light on the need for more navigational aids in Puget Sound. On October 22, 1913 Congress appropriated $30,000 for improvements.

Marrowstone Point received a new fog signal and light in 1914. An experimental acetylene gun was installed in a wooden building thirteen yards northeast of the bell tower and took the place of the fog bell. Mariners were asked to report the efficiency of the gun to the lighthouse inspector in Portland.

A new acetylene gun was installed atop a concrete structure just two months later. At the same time, the light was changed from a fixed red to a quick two red flashes every six seconds. The acetylene fog gun was the first of its kind to be used in the United States.

Several improvements were made over the years until 1962 when it was automated. In 1972 the Coast Guard transferred the property to the Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife in the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to be used as a research facility. The keepers house is now used as a guest house for scientists who visit the Marrowstone Marine Field Station.

Still standing at the waters edge are the structure that held the light and fog signal and the light tower. The flashing white light is still functioning but the fog signal is no longer being used. The station is now being used as a marine ecosystem health and marine fish health research facility.

Fort Flagler is now Fort Flagler State Park. A military museum is located in the park. The Marrowstone Point Light is visible from the park's beach but it is not open to the public.

Article Source: Marrowstone Point Light and the "Triangle of Fire"

Things to Do on the Island on a Vacation

By Achal Mehrotra

An island is any smaller area of land that is surrounded by water on its sides. It is a place where you can spend the quality time with your family and friends under nature. It is the perfect choice for your vacation when you are looking for a family trip, romantic getaway or a nature vacation.

An island is popular because of its amazing view and pleasant climatic conditions. It offers all the modern conveniences that an individual strives for while on a holiday. One can find a variety of comfortable places to stay like hotels, inns, private guest cottages, etc. on the area.

Things you can do while on an Island

An island offers several fun activities and diversions off and on-the-beach both. One can happily spend their quality time by involving themselves in various activities.

� Nature tours

There are water bikes and Segways on rent for people who love to have adventures. One can enjoy on-the-beach tours of the island while having fun with water sports. Go out with your partner to have the view of the island on water vehicles and make your vacation much more exciting.

� Relaxing beaches

Not everybody wants those adventurous activities. For all the lazy people out there, they have beach mats and chairs to relax while having the sunbath in an amazing view. After that, have your lunch and dinner at the fancy restaurants that are there to serve you on the beach itself.

� Off the beach tours

Beside the beach, one can have a tour of the place and explore it with the scooters and bikes on rent. Shopping is one of the options women can go for. The place would have a lot of beautiful shops and galleries filled with unique and antique things. Remember, there is no cluster of malls rather there are beautiful shops to have your shopping done appropriately.

� Others

For the people who want some sort of activities that are similar to their regular life, they can go for golfing, tennis, badminton, cinema, etc. The popular island offers such activities. Also, if you don't want to go out of your hotels, you can try these activities at your hotels only without going out.

All in all, there is something for everyone to satisfy themselves and there is a surety that you would not be able to stop yourself from visiting an isle again and will make some very beautiful memories to be cherished for the whole of your life.

Make a plan out of your hectic schedules and offices and visit some island. Pamper yourself, and have the best time of your life with your partner, family, and friends at some Island.

Remember you will not get such activities on a deserted island. On a deserted island, you will have to explore the things yourself without any help. But, if you don't want to go for any experiments, popular islands are the best option for you where you can get all the conveniences while enjoying yourselves.

To know more about Sanibel Island, please check our website.

Article Source: Things to Do on the Island on a Vacation

What Is Clinical Research?

By Chris Benson

Device and drug testing commences with laboratory research that can encompass years of experiments on animals and on human cells. If the primary laboratory research turns out to be successful, then the researchers send the information to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for consent for the continuation of the research and testing on humans.

Once the drug and device has been approved, human testing of the experimental drug and the devices can commence and typically takes place in four different stages. Every phase is considered as separate trials and after the completion of the specific phases, the investigators have to turn in their data from FDA prior to continuing to the next phase.

Procedure of human clinical trails

Phase I studies

The phase 1 studies evaluate the safety of the drug or the device. This primary phase of testing can take up to multiple months to finish, normally encompasses a small number of healthy volunteers mainly from 20 to 100 people. The people are paid for participating in the phase. The whole study is designed to determine the impact of the device or the drug on humans including how it is taken in, metabolised and then excreted. This phase of study also investigates side effects, if any, which might occur when the number of doses is increased. More than 65% of the experimental drugs have to undergo this phase of testing.

Phase II studies

The second phase of study tests the efficacy of the device or the drug. This second phase of study can last up to several months or up to two years and includes multiple patients. Most of the second phase of studies are unsystematic trials where a group of patients is divided into two, first group of the patients get the experimental drug while the second half of the whole group gets a standard treatment or a placebo. Often this phase is blinded which signifies that neither the researcher nor the patient is aware of which group received the experimental drug. This permits the investigators to offer pharmaceutical company and the FDA comparative details about the relative safety and effectiveness of the fairly new drug. One third of the experimental drugs successfully finish both the initial phases of the studies.

Phase III studies

This phase of study includes unsystematic as well as blind testing in multiple hundreds to thousands of patients. This broad scale testing that can last upto multiple years offer the FDA and the pharmaceutical company a detailed comprehension of the effectiveness of the drug or the device, the perks and the range possible adverse reaction of the drug or device. More than 70 to 90% of the drugs that make it to this phase are able to complete the requirement of the testing of this phase. Once the third phase has been completed, the pharmaceutical company can make a request to the FDA to approve the marketing of the drug or device.

Phase IV studies

The study of the fourth stage is known as the post-marketing surveillance trails that are conducted after the device or the drug has been approved for sale to the consumers. The pharmaceutical companies have multiple objectives at this stage, such as:

Compare the new drug with the drugs that already exist in the market.

Monitor the long term effectiveness of the drug as well as its impact on the life of the patient.

Determine the cost effectiveness of the drug therapy with the traditional as well as new therapies.

The fourth phase of studies can result in the device or the drug being taken off from the market or restrictions being placed on its use depending upon the outcome that it can produce in the market.

If you want to launch a device or drug that qualifies all the stages of studies and even results in positive outcomes, visit us at www.globalpharmatek.com

Article Source: What Is Clinical Research?

The Only Level Playing Field in Investing - Options

By David Jones

I learned options late in life, accidentally, trawling the pages of the ancient magazine Exchange and Mart in 1995. A full page article showed how an options trader could work from home, (actually in bed) using prices from the BBC's teletext, back in the day. A lot has changed, but options have been around for centuries-pre-dating shares, being used for pricing ships' cargoes. In the 1980s options became exchange traded, and fortunes were made. Warren Buffett is a keen options trader, Nassim Taleb was the most prolific. They are not idiots and neither are you if you have read thus far.

Investing is the word we use for a trade that went wrong! Investing is mostly passive and requires you to be right and/or to tuck your stocks away for decades. With markets hitting new highs and valuations stretched, you have to realise the stock market cannot keep going up. If you are happy with paltry dividends and the certainty that your stock will at some point in the future be worth half what it is today, then read no further. QE is no longer on the table and that is all that has separated stocks from realistic valuations.

So what are options all about? In our world we only trade the FTSE100 options. Why? Because the entire index is unlikely to get arrested for fraud/sexual harassment/bogus accounting/toxic products, and all the other nasties that can destroy a company's rep in a heartbeat. So FTSE is the underlying on which our derivatives are based. Options are the right to buy or sell the underlying (at �10 per point cash settled) but NOT the obligation. In the same way as insurance companies collect premiums, however, options can be sold. Did you ever see a poor insurance company? When you get it right, selling options can bring you a monthly income stream of a comfortable 2% per month, consistently. Nothing else comes close.

So who are the buyers of options if everybody sells them? Well that is the biggest part of education, and the reason I have traded profitably since 1999. Yes I have had failures, and panics- but I made nice profits in February while the market dropped 10%, despite being a bit dim! I learned about options from an expensive course and from much of the free training on the internet. A while ago I met a like-minded options trader, he runs the website to which I contribute every week, with a real trade, and general tittle tattle about our world. It's utterly mind-blowing when you start to understand options and the endless combinations, and 20 or so strategies that we use. I love options trading and I want to reach those with a pot of cash who seek income, and a sensible method with risk management, but who don't know where to start. We are not just about newbies though-there are insights for all. And... we don't want your money. http://optionsinvesting.co.uk
The website stands or falls on our integrity, the real trades and short snappy articles. We ask nothing but your attention, and eventual enlightenment. At worst you will know more than your IFA, and more than your broker, and you will start to see the financial world in high def.

Article Source: The Only Level Playing Field in Investing - Options

Michel Foucault

By Martin Hahn

Michel Foucault, (born October fifteen, 1926, Poitiers, France - died June twenty five, 1984, Paris), French philosopher as well as historian, one of probably the most important and debatable scholars of the post World War II period.

The son as well as grandson of a doctor, Michel Foucault was created to a solidly bourgeois household. He resisted what he regarded as the provincialism of the upbringing of his and the native country of his, and the career of his was marked by regular sojourns abroad. A notable but at times erratic pupil, Foucault received entry at the age of twenty to the �cole Normale Superieure (ENS) in Paris in 1946. There he studied philosophy and psychology, adopted and then abandoned communism, as well as established a good reputation as a sedulous, amazing, and eccentric pupil.

After graduating in 1952, Foucault started a career marked by continual movement, both professionally and intellectually. He taught at the Faculty of Lille, then wasted 5 years (1955 60) working as a cultural attache at Uppsala, Sweden; Warsaw, Poland; and Hamburg, West Germany (now Germany). Foucault defended the doctoral dissertation of his at the ENS in 1961. Circulated under the title Folie et deraison: histoire de la folie � l'�ge classique ("Madness and Unreason: A History of Madness in the Classical Age"). It won critical praise but had a limited audience. (An abridged version was translated into English and published in 1965 as Madness and Civilization: A History of Insanity in the Age of Reason.)

His other early monographs, written while he taught at the University of Clermont-Ferrand in France (1960-66), had much the same fate. Not until the look of Les Mots et les choses (Things" and "words; Eng. trans. The Order of Things) in 1966 did Foucault start attracting large notice as one of probably the most unique and debatable thinkers of his days. He decided to view his developing ideas from a distance - at the Faculty of Tunis in Tunisia (1966-68) - and was still in Tunis when student riots erupted in Paris of the spring of 1968.

In 1969 he published L'Archeologie du savoir (The Archaeology of Knowledge). In 1970, after a short tenure as director of the philosophy department at the Faculty of Paris, Vincennes, he was given a chair in the history of systems of thought at the Coll�ge de France, France's most prestigious post secondary institution. The appointment granted Foucault the chance to conduct intense research.

Between 1971 as well as 1984 Foucault wrote a few works, like Surveiller et punir: naissance de la prison (1975; Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison), a monograph on the growth of the contemporary prison; 3 volumes of a record of Western sexuality; in addition to countless essays. Foucault continued traveling widely, and also as his status grew he spent lengthy periods in Brazil, Canada, Italy, Japan, and the United States.

He became especially connected to Berkeley, California, and the San Francisco Bay area and became a visiting lecturer at the Faculty of California at Berkeley for a few years. Foucault died of a septicemia typical of Aids in 1984, the fourth volume of the history of sexuality however incomplete.

Get an affordable life experience degree at http://www.asian-europeanuniversity.com

Article Source:  Michel Foucault

What to Do After LTCG?

By Aryan Dev

The equity market has become more volatile since the announcement of long-term capital gain (LTCG) in budget 2018. The basic reason may not be the imposition of LTCG, but the global volatility which increased in the last fortnight and has contributed to heightened volatility in the Indian market.

Such volatility has caused much anxiety among investors and they are not sure what to do with their investments that will help them maximize their gains and minimize the tax burden. Although in doing investment focus should be upon making profit not on reducing tax. One can reduce the impact of tax but it is not possible to nullify the tax after a certain increase in income.

We believe there is not much to worry about for at least for retail investors. This is because of the 'grandfathering' clause attached to this announcement. According to which all your gains accrued till January 31, 2018 will remain tax-free. After that all the profits till the amount of Rs. 1 lakh will remain tax-free. That is for FY18, only the profit earned between February 1 and 31st March will be taxed.

If you are having large corpus invested in mutual funds, of say more than Rs. 1 crore, then definitely, you might have to pay some tax even if your invested amount is up by 1 per cent.

From FY19 onwards you need to pay LTCG on all the gains exceeding Rs. 1 lakh, if you hold your investments beyond 12 months. For the shorter duration of holdings, you have to anyhow pay short-term capital gain tax at a rate of 15 per cent.

We believe there is a silver lining to this introduction to LTCG. First of all, it is not as bad as being perceived by investors, especially to retail investors. Our back of envelope calculation shows that you are liable to pay tax only if you invest at least Rs. 60,000 every month and you earn on an average yearly return of 12 per cent. Although 12 per cent is realistic return, Rs. 60,000 is a very high amount for a retail investor.

Moreover, if you keep on booking profit on your investments after every one year (not exceeding Rs. 1 lakh) and rebalance your portfolio to align with your investment objective, we do not see LTCG a burden or dampener in your investment returns. Therefore, instead of waiting for a period where your investment objective or certain corpus for which you have been investing matures, you need to tactfully keep on booking profit regularly and rebalance your portfolio and achieve your financial goal.

Happy investing!

Article Source: What to Do After LTCG?