In Defense of Traditional Books

In the midst of the digital era, I’d like to step up and defend the traditional book. Don’t get me wrong, I love the latest in book tech, but nothing beats a book in its purest form. Here are a few reasons why.1. The FeelThere is just something about holding an entire book in your hands and feeling the pages as you turn it. There’s a connection to the material that doesn’t seem to happen when you read on a mobile device. As books age, they also sort of pick up a book-y smell that is quite comforting. The whole process of reading becomes an immersive experience.2. They’re Better For Your HealthWe’ve all heard it so many time before. The eerie glow from our electronic devices is slowly killing us. Sure, that’s probably a little extreme. I mean, just about everything is “killing us” these days, but it really does affect your health. Especially if you’re reading at bedtime with all other lights off. Your body responds to the light your electronic reading device and it can dramatically affect your ability to fall asleep and also how you sleep throughout the night. In fact, the best recommendation for bedtime is to read a traditional book until you get tired. If you’ve been having trouble sleeping lately, just take a week to read an actually physical book instead of looking at an electronic device thirty minutes before you fall asleep. I guarantee you’ll start to sleep much more soundly.3. The Feeling of AccomplishmentEach books you finish is sort of like a trophy that you can keep forever. You can proudly display it for guests as a conversation started. You can do this with three or four books or you can have an entire room devoted to it. Personal libraries are quite impressive and there is an air of intelligence and sophistication that comes with a room like that. Build it up, take pride, share your favorites with your guests. Good luck doing that with an eReader. Or, if you don’t care to build your collection, you get to pass it along to someone else who will enjoy it.4. The Ability to Completely DisconnectThis might be just me, but I’m guessing it’s not. If I attempt to read on a mobile device, it takes me forever to get in the zone. I’ll get distracting by every little thing whether it be email, or Facebook, or any other app that is just an easy click away. A physical book allows me to put all of that aside and really dive into the world the author has prepared for me. Number 2 on this list also plays a role here.5. NostalgiaA lot of the books I own have a story behind how I obtained them, whether it was given to me by a friend or family member, or is a special edition, or happens to be a signed copy. Nostalgia gets pretty lost with eBooks and I’ll take nostalgia any day.There you have it. Just a few reasons that I will always, always prefer traditional books over eBooks. Hope you enjoyed my thoughts and I welcome yours.

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Astaxanthin Market Exhibiting High Growth Rate Till Forecast

According to the new market research report by IndustryARC titled “Astaxanthin Market: By Product Type (Synthetic Astaxanthin, Astaxanthin Rich Paracoccus Bacteria, Pluviallis Microalgae Astaxanthin, Aematococcus); By Form (Liquid, Dry); By Applications (Dietary Supplements, Animal Health & Aquaculture, Cosmetics, Food & Beverages, Feed); By Source (Natural, Synthetic) & Geography – (2018-2023)”, the market will be driven by the rise in health-conscious populace and exponential demand for natural food coloring agents.The Americas region holds the largest market share in the Astaxanthin Market However, Asia Pacific is estimated to have the highest growth. As the anti-ageing creams and other skin products are becoming much sought after than ever before, the usage of Astaxanthin becomes ubiquitous in this region. The key applications in this region include cosmetics and dietary supplements among others.Selected Impact Analysis Done in the Full ReportAstaxanthin is responsible for the red color in many sea creatures such as crayfish, krill, and salmon. Astaxanthin gives red color to many sea creatures such as crayfish, krill and salmon their red color.Astaxanthin has been reported in many studies for its high antioxidant and skin-friendly properties.Paracoccus Bacteria, Astaxanthin Rich Phaffia Yeast, and Synthetic Astaxanthin are predominantly used in the aquaculture sector, while the Astaxanthin derived from H. Pluvialis microalgae is the main source for human applications such as food & beverages.Excerpts on Market Growth FactorsAquaculture and Animal feed are the major applications, while Carotenoid has been used for coloring fishes and improving the texture of animals.Nutraceutical segment is anticipated to have a rapid growth during the forecast period.Astaxanthin Softgels are estimated to register an agile growth rate during the forecast period.Synthetic source will acquire a major share in the market.Natural Sources are estimated to witness a swashbuckling over the forecast period.Astaxanthin can be manufactured from natural sources. The high yield of carotenoid and low maintenance cost will drive the growth of natural sources, which in turn drives the growth of Astaxanthin.Key Players of Astaxanthin Market:Astaxanthin is an Oligopolistic in nature and dominated by limited number of key players.Koninklijke DSM N.V is one of the key players of the Astaxanthin Market. The Heerlen headquarters company which has more than 20,000 employees worldwide witnessed € 8,632 net sales and € 1,781 net profit in 2017.BASF SE is another conglomerate that earned $816 million of revenue through operations for the year 2017.In September 2014, Algatech entered into an R&D agreement with SCHOTT AG, a German company, to boost its productivity of its closed tube cultivation system.The Astaxanthin Market Report is Segmented as Indicated Below:A. By Source:1. Natural1.1 Yeast1.2 Krill/Shrimp1.3 Microalgae2. SyntheticB. By Product1. Dried Biomass/Powder2. Oil3. Soft gels4. Liquid5. OthersC. By Application1. Dietary Supplement/Nutraceuticals2. Cosmetics3. Animal health and Aquaculture4. Food & Beverages5. FeedD. by Form1. Liquid2. Dry FormE. By Geography (Covers 12 + Countries)F. By EntropyCompanies Cited/Referenced/Interviewed:1. Cyanotech Corporation2. Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd3. Valensa International4. Fuji Chemical Industries Co., Ltd5. Divis Laboratories Ltd6. Beijing Ginko Group (BGG)7. Igene Biotechnology Inc8.Piveng Inc9.Fenchem Biotek Ltd10.Algatechnologies11. Cardax, Inc12. Supreme Biotechnologies13. Parry Nutraceuticals14.Alga Technologies15. BlueOcean NutraSciences Inc16. MicroA AS, EID Parry (India) Ltd17. Heliae Development, LLCWhat can you expect from the report?The Astaxanthin Market Report is prepared with the main agenda to cover the following 20 points:1.Market Size by Product Categories2.Market trends3.Manufacturer Landscape4.Distributor Landscape5.Pricing Analysis6.Top 10 End user Analysis7.Product Benchmarking8.Product Developments9.Mergers & Acquisition Analysis10.Patent Analysis11.Demand Analysis (By Revenue & Volume)12.Country level Analysis (15+)13.Competitor Analysis14.Market Shares Analysis15.Value Chain Analysis16.Supply Chain Analysis17.Strategic Analysis18.Current & Future Market Landscape Analysis19.Opportunity Analysis20.Revenue and Volume AnalysisFAQ:Does IndustryARC publish country, geography or application based reports in Astaxanthin Market?Yes, we do have separate reports as mentioned below:1.Americas Market for Astaxanthin (2018-2023)2.Europe Market for Astaxanthin (2018-2023)3.APAC Market for Astaxanthin (2018-2023)4.RoW Market for Astaxanthin (2018-2023)5.Natural Market for Astaxanthin (2018-2023)6.Synthetic Market for Astaxanthin (2018-2023)7.Dried Biomass/Powder Market for Astaxanthin (2018-2023)8.Oil Market for Astaxanthin (2018-2023)9.Soft gels Market for Astaxanthin (2018-2023)10.Liquid Market for Astaxanthin (2018-2023)11.Dietary Supplement/Nutraceuticals Market for Astaxanthin (2018-2023)12.Cosmetics Market for Astaxanthin (2018-2023)13.Animal health and Aquaculture Market for Astaxanthin (2018-2023)14.Food & Beverages Market for Astaxanthin (2018-2023)15.Feed Market for Astaxanthin (2018-2023)16.Liquid Market for Astaxanthin (2018-2023)17.Dry Form Market for Astaxanthin (2018-2023)Does IndustryARC customize these reports and charge additionally for limited customization?Yes, we can customize the report by extracting data from our database of reports and annual subscription databases. We can provide the following free customization:1.Increase the level of data in application or end user industry.2.Increase the number of countries in geography chapter.3.Find out market shares for other smaller companies or companies which are of interest to you.4.Company profiles can be requested based on your interest.5.Patent analysis, pricing, product analysis, product benchmarking, value and supply chain analysis can be requested for a country or end use segment.Access Report:https://industryarc.com/Report/16597/astaxanthin-market.htmlAny other major customizations can be discussed with our team, we can provide a separate quote based on your requirement. You can drop in an e-mail to [email protected] to discuss more about our consulting services.

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Best Small Business Tips and Ideas

Deciding to start a business can be one of the most exhilarating decisions you make in your life. We are living in a world wherever everyone wants to make extra money and add to his income. Most people have achieved this by acquiring great business ideas. When one starts up a company, he must be ready to meet competition. It is important to note that you would not need to become rich or popular to succeed in business but have to think smartly. But there are a lot of moving parts and many different elements to consider.10 basic tips essential to start a business successfully.Tip 1: Get inspired and Love your ideaEvery business begins with an idea you may have imagined of opening your own business for years, or motivation may have hit you suddenly. Nevertheless of the source, the first step of starting your own business is coming up with a business idea. And as important as your idea, you must in love with the idea.Tip 2: Do Your Research / learn everything about the businessYou’ve recognized your big idea, now it’s time to balance it with the reality. Are you truly ready to start a business? Answer the questions below and see what you need to prepare yourself for business. For a small business succeed it must fulfill a need, solve a problem or offer something the market wants.You can identify this need in many ways by doing research, focus groups, and even trial and error.As you search the market, some of the questions can be:• Is there a need for your anticipated services or products?
• Who needs it? (Target Costumers)
• Are there other companies offering similar services or products right now?
• How is the competition?
• Can or how will your business fit into the market?Tip 3: Make a Business PlanYou need a business plan in order to make your business idea a reality. If you expect to seek monetary support from an investor or financial organization, a formal written business plan is a must.Even if you don’t need monetary support, a simple business plan can give you precision about what you hope to accomplish and how you plan to do it.In overall, your business plan should summary your business goals and the inspiration behind them, as well as your plan for realization of your goals in terms of marketing and funding.Tip 4: Planning FinancesOpening a small business doesn’t have to involve a lot of money, but it will involve some investment.There are a number of methods you can fund your small business:• With Small business grants
• By Financing
• With Small business loans
• Or Angel investorsYou can also attempt to get your business off the ground by bootstrapping, using as little capital as necessary to start your business.Tip 5: Business StructureYour small business can be an individual ownership, a partnership, a limited liability company (LLC) or a corporation. The business structure you might choose will impact in many factors from your business name, to liability, and how you file your taxes.You can choose an initial business structure, and with time re-evaluate and change your structure as your business grows and needs to be changed.Tip 6: The Business NameThe name you choose plays a role in almost every aspect of your business, so you want it to be a good one. Make sure you think through all of the possible consequences as you explore your options and select your business name.Once you have selected a name, there is the need to check if it’s trademarked, currently in use and if stills free you will need to register it. A individual proprietor must register their business name with either their state or county clerk. Corporations, LLC, or limited corporations usually register their business name when the creation paperwork is filed.These days you need to have a website, so please don’t forget to register your domain name once you have selected your business name. The best domains and more valuable online are the ones ending with .com.Tip 7: Licenses and PermitsThere are a range of small business licenses and permits that may apply to your situation, depending on the type of business you are starting and where you are placed. You will need to inquiry what licenses and permits apply to your business during the initial process.Tip 8: The Business LocationSetting up your place to work is essential for the operation of your business, whether you will have a home office, a shared or private office space, or a retail location. You will need to reflect about your place, equipment, and overall setup, and make sure your business place works for the kind of business you will be doing.Tip 9: Accounting SystemOne of the most essential systems for a small business is an accounting system. Your accounting system is essential in order to build and manage your budget, set your charges, conduct business with others, and file your taxes. You can set up your accounting system by your own, or hire an accountant to take away some of the work.Tip 10: Promote Your Small BusinessAs soon your business is up and running, you need to start attracting customers. You’ll want to initiate with the essentials by writing a single selling offer and building a marketing plan. Explore as many small business marketing ideas as you can so you to choose how to promote your business most successfully. Completed these business start-up actions, you will have all of the most important small business bases protected, and be prepared for small business success.15 Business Ideas to Generate Extra IncomeIf you want or need to start a side job because you still need to wait a little bit longer to start your own business, here are 15 suggestions for you.1. Make money BloggingIf you enjoy writing, find a theme you’re passionate about and start a blog dedicated to covering that theme and anything else interesting you enjoy to talk about. All you need is a laptop, some time, and inspiration to consistently write. It can start as a hobby and turn into a business over time. Creating a blog is free, but if you want to look professional it can cost less than $ 12 per month.2. Buying or selling on eBayThanks to internet there are more opportunities to make money than ever to buy and resell products for extra money. There are lots of people buy at a discount and resell them on eBay for profit.3. Freelance writingIf you’re great with words, you might be capable to find some work as an online freelancer. A variety of publications need online content in the form of product, stories, service descriptions, and reports, and if you have the talent and ability, you could easily be the one to create them. Luckily, all you need is a computer and Internet connection to get started. You can start here freelancer.com4. Social media expertNow a day almost everyone uses Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest, but did you know that many companies are willing to compensate people to support them managing their social media accounts and sometimes you can do it part-time from home. If this appeals you, to find social media jobs you can start by writing companies with a social media presence and visiting sites like Elance.com for opportunities.5. Proofreading and editingDo you have strong English skills and outstanding grammar? You may have chances to work as a proof-reader from home. Marketing for this can be hard; seek out those who might actually be able to use your services and advertise directly to them.6. Virtual assistantMany companies and individual professionals like having someone who can check and answer their email, organize task lists for them, someone who can update their calendars, and perform other administrative tasks, with minimal communication. The best of being a virtual assistant is that you can offer this service from home with a good Internet connection.7. Website designIf you know a little bit about web design you can approach small businesses in your community, as they could use a very basic web presence to tell others about their business. These businesses usually don’t have a large budget for websites and create a great yet simple website is for you, get a bunch of clients from your local community, create sites for them, and maintains them for a small fee. You can easily get enough businesses to have a nice side business of your own with a low investment.8. Affiliate marketingCertain types of online businesses will pay you to promote their products and encourage sales. If you’re interested in learning more, check out affiliate marketing programs such as Click-bank, Commission Junction, and these websites are trustworthy and you can earn money by posting their products in your blog, website or Facebook. The secret of online business is all knowing targeting the right public and marketing efficiently. It can be overwhelming with all the information available online as more than 50% of the information is just a waste of time.9. Become a business or life coachIf you are a good speaker and passionate about the business world and able to inspire and encourage others in a unique way, you could marketing your services as a business or even a life coach. Take your passion and expertise to the next level giving advice and suggest actionable steps people can take to progress their professional and private lives.10. Start a resume writing serviceIf you’re excellent at writing remarkable resumes that in the end result in people getting the job, contemplate advertising those services. Most of your work will spin around writing, editing, designing, and proofreading, so you will only need few supplies outside of your computer and basic software to get started.11. App DeveloperWeb app development is the creation of application programs that reside on remote servers and are delivered to the user’s device over the Internet. Now a day you can do apps with software’s you don’t really need to be a weirdo to do it, you can be an app developer for Facebook for instance and of course you can do it part-time and home based.12. Business ConsultantIf you are high organized and skilled being a good problem solver this job is for you. Companies bring Business Consultant to identify their problems, provide solutions and optimize companies. The only investments are your skills.13. Data Entry ServiceMany companies and online businesses require some type of manual information tracking, creating a vast amount of data entry work. Although there are many work-at-home scams related with data entry work, there are a lot of genuine chances available for genuine data entry businesses. If you are an excellent typist with an eye for detail, a data entry business is a great idea for you.14. Freelance WriterIf you have the skill to write and inform people in a certain area, you can write small books or guides and sell them online, the biggest books platform is Amazon.com, where you can display your books for free and when they are sold, you will receive a percentage from the selling. Payments are made every month depending on your sales. Investment is only your time to write and imagination.15. Internet ResearcherThe Internet provides a vast amount of information. If you can quickly and efficiently navigate through that wealth of information, and essentially find a needle in a haystack, you can create a very successful business as an Internet researcher. Search for this kind of job online or about a company which is looking for this of service.I give you only a glimpse what you could do, and these are just a few ideas, but many ideas were left behind.First of all I advise you to think what you like to do as a hobby or in your free time, why don’t you make profit from what you are doing already?You have the world as your disposal, but for a business to work out the first thing from all things is, it doesn’t matter what you intent to do, but you have to love it. If you love what you do it doesn’t feel like a job, you will be doing it with joy and this way you will be successful.There are some side business opportunities that have grown more common in the past few years. And thanks to internet you have much more opportunities, ideas and help to develop your business.

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Why Business Is Grateful For Equipment Leasing and Financing and Asset Finance Solutions!

Many Canadian business owners and financial managers are under the impression that equipment leasing and financing solutions for their asset finance needs are more expensive than other forms of financing.However, at the same time thousands of businesses everyday flock to the lease finance solution when they are acquiring equipment. How can a finance solution perceived as ‘ expensive ‘ be one of the most sought after business financing facilities day after day.It’s because it’s all about the benefits and flexibility. In pure theory if you were paying full price cash or entering into a term loan you could make a technical financial case that lease financing is more expensive.But it’s never always about price in your personal life, and that’s certainly the case in business. The reality is that the additional benefits of a lease often over weigh any concerns about cost or interest rates. And quite frankly with interest rates at all time lows in Canada companies with fairly decent credit profiles can get equipment financing in the 7-8% range. And, on top of that, if your company doesn’t have a pristine credit profile you still can get approved because Canadian equipment and leasing and financing professions are experts in asset finance, and a lot of emphasis is placed on your company prospects and the asset itself.Accounting isn’t one of our favorite subjects when clients ask us for leasing assistance, but the reality is the when you use lease finance effectively – for example operating leases, then you are in a position to increase overall return on assets and your banker or other senior lender isn’t overly concerned about that always omnipresent debt to equity ratio he or she is talking about.When clients talk to us about leasing we can talk about ten or 15 different issues – but to be honest they only often have one – can we get approval for a rate, term and structure that makes sense for our firm? That’s the essential question more often than not. And that’s more often when lease finance steps up to the bar! Lessors take, on balance greater credit risk than financial institutions, and in our words, they are more likely to ‘ buy into your story ‘ – whether that be a turnaround year, a new project coming up, etc.Lease decisions from your point of view are often driven by the simple question – can the acquisition of this asset grow sales and profits. Asset finance firms understand that and they essentially become your business partner with the additional capital they put into your equipment financing needs. You on the other hand can use that additional cash flow and working capital for general operating purposes. You have matched long term debt – i.e. the lease, with long term capital – your lease finance strategy.Speak to a trusted, credible and experienced Canadian business advisor in equipment leasing and financing. You” be surprised at the financing approval turnaround and the benefits you didn’t know you could achieve.

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Free Google Promotional Opportunities For Small Businesses

When some people see the Maps tab at Google.com they assume that it is just Google’s version of Mapquest or some other similar website.  But nothing could be further than the truth. True, Google displays maps and driving directions but it also does so much more.  Google Maps was previously called Google Local Search which more accurately describes Google Map functionality.  Google Maps has a listing of every established business. Obviously it shows the location of the business on the map and offers driving directions.  But it also offers tremendous promotional opportunities.   Business owners can include both photos and videos in their map listing. Being able to include up to 10 photos and 5 videos makes the Google Map listing a bonanza for the business owner and provides rich information to potential customers. A picture can be extremely useful showing critical information to a potential customer. If somebody was looking for a daycare center think how valuable it would be to have pictures of the facility both inside and outside.  This is almost better than a full page advertisement in the Yellow pages except the Google map listing is free. Compare that to a full page ad in other media.  Google also offers a business owner an opportunity to post up to 5 videos. This is almost like getting a free TV commercial except that the information is directed at a potential customers who are already interested in the business owner’s product or services. With today’s inexpensive video equipment a business owner could shoot their own video of the business and post it to their Google Map listing via YouTube.   With shrinking advertising budgets businesses should fully utilize this opportunity from Google. The only caveat is that for the business listing to be completely effective the business listing should be on the first page of Google search results.  Fortunately it is rather easy to optimize Google Map listings.

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An Interview With Techno-romantic Thriller Author Denise Robbins on Merging Technology and Fiction

Denise Robbins, a software engineering manager by day, integrates her knowledge of computers and technology into all her techno-romantic thriller novels. Her published works include It Happens in Threes and Killer Bunny Hill with Connect the Dots and Never Tempt Danger scheduled for release in 2010.I saw down with Denise and asked about the unique combination of technology and fiction.Your computer background has obviously been a big factor in the plots of your books. How did you become interested in technology?
It all started when I was a kid. In elementary school we went on a field trip to an electronics shop. In there, we saw all kinds of cool gadgets like small calculators, electronic games, and then… a computer. Holy cow! I could play chess on the computer.About that same time, my dad brought home a modem. I’m not talking the modems you pick up today that fit in the palm of your hand, we’re talking a behemoth of a machine that looked like a typewriter with a phone coupler attached to it.Some readers may not understand the significance of computers in fighting crime. Explain how important an understanding of new technologies can be in staying ahead of the bad guy.
Computers are used a great deal more than people think in regards to fighting crime. One simple example is the FBI’s website that gives the public information on some of the criminals they are searching for. This website not only informs the public, but now there are large numbers of people on the lookout for the ‘bad guys.’Local police departments have computers in every patrol car, which can be used in different scenarios. Remember the last time you were pulled over? The police officer can put your license plate into the computer and check if the car was stolen, your driving record, or even your car registration. A police officer making a routine stop may not seem like any big deal or use for computer technology, but what you may not realize is that the same computer that told the officer the car was stolen, can also provide arrest and warrant information. Information attained via the computer by the officer makes him/her more capable of making the right decision of how to approach the situation.Computers also give law enforcement the resources and technology needed to keep up with modern day criminals in the cyber world. Some criminals steal people’s identities or purchase goods with someone else’s credit cards over the Internet. Internet felons commit all sorts of crimes such as downloading child pornography, even trying to convince minors to meet them somewhere, which could result in abduction. Without computers, it would be nearly impossible to catch felons of this nature. Through computers law enforcement agencies can watch these actions and make the web safer.Because of computers and instant access to large amounts of information, law enforcement agents have the power to turn a possible dangerous situation into a much safer one sooner rather than later.Explain a little about nanotechnology and its current uses.
Nanotechnology is a technology based on the manipulation of individual atoms and molecules to build structures to complex, atomic specifications. The nanoscale is about a thousand times smaller than micro that is, about 1/80,000 of the diameter of a human hair.Items already available in the marketplace include: burn and wound dressings, water filtration, dental-bonding agent, coatings for easier cleaning glass, bumpers and catalytic converters on cars, protective and glare-reducing coatings for eyeglasses and cars, sunscreens and cosmetics, stain-free clothing and mattresses, ink, longer-lasting tennis balls, and lightweight and stronger tennis rackets.A ski jacket produced by Franz Ziener GmbH&Co is based on nanotechnology. The windproof and waterproof properties are not obtained by a surface coating of the jacket but by the use of nanofibres.The company InMat makes long-lasting tennis-balls by coating the inner core with clay polymer nanocomposites. These tennis-balls have twice the lifetime of conventional balls.What do you see happening with nanotechnology in the future?
Today, we have just scratched the surface on what nanotechnology will do for us. There are many nanotechnology applications in research and development. In the field of medicine, there will be Qdots that identify the location of cancer cells in the body and Nanoparticles that deliver chemotherapy drugs directly to cancer cells to minimize damage to healthy cells. Can you imagine not having to expose the entire body to chemotherapy but only the part that requires the treatment?Nanotechnology is huge in the science and technology area as well, in particular, manmade diamonds. In recent years, there has been research into producing manmade diamonds, no, not cubic zirconia, but “real” diamonds grown in a lab and not in nature. Manmade diamonds is a huge breakthrough that will only get bigger. The diamond has the largest thermal conductivity of any material. With every improvement in computer chip technology, the machines get faster and hotter. At some point the chips and computer insides will melt. Diamonds are the answer for faster computers without the heat factor. For the same thermal conductivity reason, manmade diamonds could help make lasers of extreme power. The material could allow a cell phone to fit into a watch and iPods to store 10,000 movies, not just 10,000 songs.I could go on, but you get the idea. Nanotechnology is the next great wave and I’m hoping it hits soon.What are some of the challenges in blending cutting-edge technology with fiction?
The challenge in creating techno-fiction is knowing how to keep the story moving at the same time giving enough of a visual picture of the technology so the reader understands without dumping boring information on top of their head.It seems like the field of technology is more of a man’s world. How did you end up in the field and why do you think there aren’t more women involved?I think since my dad was in technology, not the same as I am involved today, I was destined for computers.Taking a job with a government contractor for the Department of Defense hooked me on technology. I was part of a team that built software for use in military medical facilities. It was when I taught computer programs and programming to adults that I found my love for all that ‘geeky’ computer stuff. There is nothing like watching the spark in somebody’s eyes as the light bulb goes on inside their head after they have learned to write code and see the result.Why there are not more women in science and technology is a question that has been asked quite a lot in recent years. One simple answer is how parents and teachers present information technology professions and other occupations to their daughters and students. It is about encouraging and providing role models.
Another explanation for the lack of women in information technology careers is misconception and preference. Why do I say that as if they are com-mingled? Many people believe working in IT is solitary. They imagine someone sitting in front of a computer eight hours or more a day with no one to talk with. Ask any of the engineers that work for and with me and they will let you know that is not the case.In general, women prefer to work with people while men prefer to work with things. With the solitary misconception out there, many women are choosing other careers.Do you have a lot of male readers because of your interesting plots? How do you draw them in?
To be honest, I am not certain that I have too many male readers yet, but I have a few and I want more. I think once the guys know that my novels are based on interesting and real technology, have suspense and mystery woven in with action and adventure that they will want to read them. All it takes is a few good men… to spread the word.While my novels are fiction, when my hero or heroine is shooting a weapon, all readers should know that I have done the research and had the experience several times. My first time shooting anything, but a shotgun at skeet (of which I am a very good shot), was when I wrote It Happens in Threes. I had to know what it felt like. I contacted a friend who taught me all the various right and wrongs and who enjoyed seeing me struggle filling a clip and always forgetting to take the safety off.Right now, my attempt at “drawing them in” is to give a guy I see a copy of the book, ask him to read it, and let me know what he thinks. So far, the response has been positive. The other little tidbit that helps draw the men in as that I have other men review and edit my novels for the male perspective. It always helps me when Steve or David say, “No guy would say that.” Then they wrinkle their noses and slash away at my work. I am very grateful. I also have friends who are former military and they correct some of my ideas as well.How do you handle the fine line between giving too much technological information and making the story flow?
This is an excellent question. Computer stuff can be very dry and boring, take it from me. What I do is take technology and introduce the readers to it in small pieces, like breadcrumbs of information, so that technology is part of the mystery or part of the solution in the puzzle. I take the technology and break it down so my characters show you just enough to make you understand, and at the same time get curious. Wait until you find out about nanotechnology in Killer Bunny Hill. I’ll give you a hint – Diamonds aren’t just a girl’s best friend.Where do you come up with your story ideas?
My story ideas come from various places and most the time it is just a matter of sitting down with pen and paper and asking myself about the particular characters I have just identified in my mind. Sometimes, as in the case of my second novel Killer Bunny Hill, the seed for novel will just hit me while flying across the country on a plane. In the case of my fourth novel Never Tempt Danger, the idea came from a dream. Those are just the beginnings, now I have to construct a story line and that takes a little more effort.Sometimes I take from my own experiences with technology, but that is still limited in scope. So what do I do? Well, here is my answer.I did some research once for work when I accidentally ran across an article on ‘manmade diamonds’ and using them as computer chips. As I continued to read the story, I found out about an organization known as DARPA, Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. This agency is the central research and development office for the Department of Defense. They fund all kinds of technology research in order to keep our military technologically superior and in turn keep us safe and military personnel safe. Cool stuff!Thanks for taking the time to talk with me today, Denise!

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Sites Community (SC)

In my previous article Scaling Drupal, I discussed the concept of SCS (Sites Community Server)* but my main focus was the application of the concept in the field of scalability, real-time performance and IR (intelligent Replication) where DCMS (drupal Cluster management server) playing dual role as Sites Community Server and Cluster Server but in today’s article I would primarily focus on SC (Sites Community).To help readers understand the model clearly I would again be using SCS (Sites Community Server)* to illustrate some practical applications.SCs can be thought of a content sharing platform where different sites can share content with other sites but as we know most of these sites have their own unique content schema and it evolves independently of any other site. In order to effectively share the contents there has to  be a CS (common schema) across the community.SCs can develop their on CWCS (Community Wide Content Schema) in accordance to their area of interest or content type. The  CS resides on SC Server providing a platform for content sharing.The design of schema is primarily influenced by two major elements; the type of content and area of interest. For example there could be a standard schema for advertisement content; the schema design will be influenced by the content type on the other hand a community of sites focusing on open source software development may develop their on schema to share information; the schema design will be influenced by area of interest.While the SCS (Sites Community Server) hold the CWCS (Community Wide Content Schema), the schema of individual sites or nodes can evolve independently so individual sites can maintain their own identity.For security and management the community wide roles should be defined these roles can then be mapped to individual site roles; in other words a role on Sites Community Server is just an aggregation of roles defined in individual sites but of course new set of roles or permissions would be needed to govern and enforce CWR (community wide rules).*Site Communities will surely provide us with numerous opportunities and new unique challenges specially in the area of community wide rules and security.Below I’ll try to give some examples of how SCs can impact the web.
SCs can consolidate the web (right now its just a collection of thousands of sites)

Web consolidation will keep surfer more focused on their area of interest.

Advertisement can be more focused.
Less time searching the web.

SCs will make web more dynamic.
Different regional channels can share their news to provide user consolidated news that is more dynamic
SCs is a consolidated efforts of individual sites means any site updating the content is contributing to community making the community as a whole more dynamic.

SCs means more influence on the web.Once your SC grows in popularity with more sites willing to become member. It will be enhancing the community influence as a whole benefiting individual members as well.
While individual sites have their own interest; there can be COs (Community Objectives) that will benefit the community as a whole. so all individual sites or nodes will combine their efforts to achieve COs.SCs community service (CS)
A community of 10 sites receive 100k hits per day; a community wide Ad space means that any site can promote there service to 100k users free of cost.
Community members referring to other members sites for service in other words strategic partnership within community.

SCs can be used to establish brand names (An entire article will be coming on this).There can be different CMs (Community Model)* as well like open communities in which you just have to adopt a community schema and agree to the community terms in order to join or closed communities govern by strategic and business interest of the community creator.In the above few paragraph we’ve discussed SCs as a concept now I’ll give a few highlights on the technology side.

SC Server is used to hold CWCS (Community Wide Content Schema).
SC Server is used to hold CWC (Community Wide Content)
SC Server can also hold complete schema of individual nodes so that it can be used as a content publishing platform means you can login to SC Server and can publish content to any individual site or group of sites (nodes).
SC Server is used to enforce CWR (Community Wide Rules).
SC Server can be used for organization of the community like defining COs (community objectives) and also providing technological assistance if possible to achieve CO.
There are other closely related concepts
Distributed Content Management System
Content Clusters (with Intelligent Replication)
Enterprise Content Management System
In the end I would suggest an open source Sites Community Server because this idea requires more innovation and study and its well proven that community based development is much more innovative and dynamic than any proprietary solution. Note:* Readers can think of SCS as DSCS (Drupal Sites Community Server) a piece of software that is used to control a group of drupal installations; why drupal in every concept its the community spirit.* In future I’ll be writing an article on how to manage sites community by defining community rules and security guideline.* I’ll be writing an article on “Community Model (CM)”* Why use so many acronyms; because each of these acronym represent an area of study or represent a topic.

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What Is The Difference Between Investment Management and Stockbrokers?

The investment services industry can be daunting and ambiguous for individuals who seek a return on their capital. After working hard earning your wealth, it is important to understand the different services offered by professionals and what solutions fit you personally. One of the main questions we get asked here is:”What is the difference between investment management and stockbrokers?”Firstly, let’s discuss what stockbrokers are – we all have a much better, clearer, idea of what they do and who they represent. Stockbrokers are regulated firms that offer financial advice to their clients. A stockbroker buys and sells equities and other securities like bonds, CFDs, Futures and Options on behalf of their clients in return for a fee or commission. A brokerage / stockbroker will receive a fee on each transaction, whether the idea is profitable or not.A brokerage can specialise in any investment niche they wish for example:
FTSE All-Share stocks,
AIM stocks,
European Stocks,
Asian Stocks,
US Stocks
Combinations of the above
Straight equities,
Straight derivative trading (CFDs, Futures & Options)
The main reason why investors choose stockbrokers over any other professional investment service is simply down to control. Due to the nature of a brokerage firm, they can only execute a trade after you instruct them to do so. This means it is impossible for a brokerage to keep buying and selling securities without you knowing – known as churning for commission. This doesn’t however prevent stockbrokers providing you with several new ideas a week and switching your positions to a new idea.However, there are natural flaws with the brokerage industry is that because trading ideas can only be executed after being instructed to list a few flaws;-
you may miss out of good opportunities due to moves in the market,
you may get in a couple of days later because you were busy and not make any money after fees,
you may receive a call to close a position but unable to without your say so.
The above are examples that can happen when investing with brokerage firms, but this is due to the reliance of gaining authorisation from their clients. So if you are ultra busy or travel a lot then you could potentially miss out on opportunities to buy or sell.What are investment managers?Now we understand what stockbrokers / brokerage firms are about, let’s discuss what investment management services can do for individuals.Investment management firms run differently to brokerages. The core aspect to these services is that the professional investment managers use their discretion to make investment decisions. As a client of an investment management firm you will go through a rigorous client on boarding process (just like a brokerage firm) to understand your investment goals, understanding of the services being used, risk profile, angering to the investment mandate and allowing the service to manage your equity portfolio. The sign up with the service may seem long winded but it’s in your best interest to ensure the service is suitable and appropriate for you. In reality, it’s not a long winded process at all. Once you agree to the services offered then you will only be updated on the on-going account data and portfolio reporting in a timely manner. This means no phone calls to disrupt your day-to-day activities and allows the professionals to focus on your portfolio.Investment management firms usually have specific portfolios with a track record, into which you can invest your capital according to you appetite for risk. These portfolios will focus on specific securities, economies, risk and type of investing (income, capital growth or balanced). All of this would be discussed prior or during the application process.Another method used by investment management firms is different strategies implemented by their portfolio managers. These strategies are systematic and go through thorough analysis before investment decisions are made.The fees usually associated with investment management firms can vary from each firm. There are three common types of fees and are usually combined, fees can be;-
Assets Under Management Fee – This is where you pay a percentage of the portfolio per year to the firm, usually an annual fee. E.g) 1% AUM Fee on £1,000,000 is £10,000 per year.
Transaction Fee – This is a fee associated with each transaction made through your portfolio – similar to the brokerage firm’s commission.
Percentage of Profits Fee – This is where any closed profits generated over a set time will be charged to the firm. E.g) 10% PoP Fee – the firm generates you closed profit of £10,000 in one quarter – you will be charged £1,000.
The main benefits provided from investment management firms is that after the service understands your needs and tailors the service around you, it is their job to build a portfolio around you. It is also the job of the investment management firm to adhere to the investment mandate you agreed on, we’ll take about this later, so you understand of the time frame given what you should expect. Another bonus why high-net worth individuals choose investment management services is because they are not hassled by phone calls every other day with a new investment idea.The difference… The main difference between investment management and stockbroking firms is:
Investment Managers offers discretionary services; no regular phone calls about stock ideas.
Stockbrokers give you more control as you can personally filter out ideas you think won’t work.
Investment Managers offer an investment mandate; this is where the investment management service provides a document of what they are offering you in return of managing your portfolio. You will understand what exactly they are targeting over the year, based on what risk, and should they achieve it – then they have fulfilled their service. E.g) the mandate could state that the strategies used and based on 8% volatility (risk), they seek to achieve 14% capital return.
Stockbrokers do not offer an future agreements but look to deliver growth during the time you are with them. They are not bound by their performances like investment managers.
Investment management firms have a track record for all of the strategies and services used, stockbrokers do not.
Which to choose?Both services provide professional approaches to investing in the stock markets. Stockbrokers are chosen over investment managers by people who like to be in control and receive financial advice. Stockbrokers generally do not have a systematic approach to the markets but use selective top-down approaches to select stocks.Investment managers are chosen by investors who want an agreement on their performances over the year and understand the risk up-front. Usually more sophisticated investors that wish to take advantage of the track-record and gain an understanding of the systematic approach used by the investment management firm.Feel free to learn more.DISCLAIMER: The above is not considered financial advice or any endorsement to use any particular service. If you wish to use any of the services mentioned, please seek independent advice.RISK WARNING: Spread betting, CFD, futures and options trading carries a high level of risk to your capital and can result in losses that exceed your initial deposit. They may not be suitable for everyone, so please ensure that you fully understand the risks involved. Past performance of a managed service is not a guide to future performance.

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How is Parkinson’s Disease Treated?

Parkinsons disease is a comparatively common condition of the nervous system which is as a result of problems with the nerve cells in the part of the brain which generates dopamine. This is a chemical substance that is needed for the smooth management of muscles and motion, so the symptoms of the disorder is a result of a reduction of that chemical. Parkinson’s disease mostly impacts individuals aged over 65, but it can and does come on at younger ages with 5-10% developing before the age of forty.

The chief clinical features of Parkinson’s disease are a tremor or shaking, that will commences in one arm or hand; there is often a muscle rigidity or stiffness along with a slowness of motion; the stance gets more stooped; additionally, there are equilibrium concerns. Parkinson’s can also cause greater pain and result in depression symptoms and create problems with memory and sleep. There isn’t any specific test for the diagnosis of Parkinson’s. The identification is usually made primarily based on the history of the symptoms, a physical along with neural evaluation. Other reasons for the signs and symptoms also need to be eliminated. There are imaging assessments, such as a CAT scan or MRI, that can be used to eliminate other issues. From time to time a dopamine transporter diagnostic might also be utilized.

The actual cause of Parkinson’s isn’t known. It does appear to have both genetic and environmental elements with it plus some specialists think that a virus may induce Parkinson’s as well. Decreased amounts of dopamine and also norepinephrine, a substance which in turn is responsible for the dopamine, have already been found in those with Parkinson’s, but it is not yet determined what is causing this. Unusual proteins which are named Lewy bodies have been located in the brains of those who have Parkinson’s; nevertheless, experts don’t know what role they may play in the development of Parkinson’s. While the specific cause just isn’t known, studies have identified risk factors that establish groups of people who are more prone to develop the condition. Men are more than one and a half times more prone to get Parkinson’s as compared to women. Caucasians are much more prone to get the condition as compared to African Americans or Asians. Those who have close members of the family who have Parkinson’s disease are more likely to develop it, implying the inherited contribution. A number of toxins could raise the potential for the problem, implying a role of the environment. People who experience difficulties with brain injuries can be more likely to go on and have Parkinson’s disease.

There is no identified remedy for Parkinson’s disease. That will not imply that the signs and symptoms can’t be handled. The main method is to use medicines to raise or replacement for the dopamine. Balanced and healthy diet together with frequent exercise is crucial. There may be changes made to the surroundings at home and work to keep the individual involved as well as active. There are also some options sometimes for brain surgical treatment which can be used to relieve some of the motor symptoms. A diverse team of different health professionals are often involved.

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Understanding the Impacts of Gout

Gout is among those historical problems because there are numerous mentions of it in historical literature, at least since ancient times. The traditional typecast of it is that it is related to the upper classes that binge in alcohol and certain foods. This image was pictured in early art work illustrating people who had gout. Gout has stopped being viewed as a problem of over consumption, because of the current research demonstrating an important genetic component to it.

Gout is a distressing inflammation related disorder which mostly impacts the joints, most commonly the great toe joint with the feet. It is because of uric acid crystals getting placed in joints in the event the bloodstream uric acid quantities are increased. The uric acid comes from the breakdown of purines which come from the consuming of foods like venison, salmon, tuna, haddock, sardines, anchovies, mussels, herring along with alcohol consumption. It is possible to understand how that old misconception was produced according to the overindulgence of the higher classes in those types of food and alcoholic beverages. The actual problem is not really the quantity of those foods which can be consumed, but the actual genetics of the biochemical pathway which usually breaks the purines in these food items down into the uric acid and how your body deals with it.

While diet is still important in the treating of gout and lowering the quantity of food which have the purines with them continues to be considered essential, however it is becoming apparent recently that this is just not sufficient by itself and just about all those who have gout probably will need pharmaceutical management. It goes without saying that drugs are likely to be needed for relief of pain throughout an acute flare up. The acute phase of gout is extremely painful. Over the long term there are two forms of drugs which you can use for gout. One kind of medicine block chemicals in the pathway which splits the purines into uric acid, which simply implies there will be much less uric acid in the blood stream that could find its way in to the joints to trigger an acute episode of gout or lead to the long-term gout. The other main kind of drug is one that can help the renal system remove much more uric acid. This would also reduce the urates in the bloodstream. Generally, only one of those drugs is all that’s needed, however occasionally both are needed to be utilized at the same time. Since these prescription medication is ordinarily pretty successful, that will not indicate that the life-style and eating habits changes may be pushed aside. Local measures, including wearing good fitting shoes if the big toe joint gets too painful is important. Also ice packs during an acute flare up will also help with the relief of pain.

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