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Is Ketamine Therapy for PTSD the Right Option for You?

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Anyone who suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) will know that it can have a huge negative impact on their lives in many ways. If you want to avoid the many pitfalls of this condition, you need to ensure you seek medical assistance and get the right treatment for you. This can help to minimize the impact of PTSD on your day-to-day life, and it can make a huge positive difference in terms of your life quality.

Of course, people respond to different treatments for their health issues, and the same is true of PTSD. A lot of people these days turn to ketamine therapy for PTSD, and this has proven to be an ideal and very effective treatment for many. When you seek advice from your healthcare provider, they will look at various treatment options after you have been assessed. Some people are not familiar with ketamine therapy and are unsure whether it is the right option for them. In this article, we will look at some of the benefits to help you reach an informed decision.

Image source Wikimedia

The Benefits to Keep in Mind

In order to determine whether ketamine therapy for PTSD is the right option for you, it is important that you familiarize yourself with the benefits. Some of the main ones are:

Many People Achieve Success

One thing to keep in mind when it comes to this treatment is that many people have achieved success with it even after other treatments have failed. The response rate with this treatment is very good, and this means that you may find it is ideal for you even if you have tried other treatments and found them to be ineffective. The high success rate is one of the things that makes this treatment an appealing option for a lot of sufferers.

It Helps with Many Symptoms

There are many serious symptoms associated with PTSD, and these can prove to be debilitating and distressing. From hypervigilance and emotional detachment to sleep problems, aggressive behaviors, and self-harm, there are lots of negative ways in which this condition can affect your life. The right treatment can help to combat and control many of these serious symptoms, which means that you can get your life back on track. Ketamine therapy has proven to be very effective in helping those who experience symptoms such as these.

You Benefit from Greater Ease and Convenience

One of the other benefits to keep in mind is that ketamine therapy offers ease and convenience, as it can be administered at home. Many people who suffer from PTSD struggle to go out and get treatment at unfamiliar facilities with strangers. However, with this treatment, it can be administered in the safety, comfort, and security of your own home, which makes it a far better option for a lot of people with this condition.

These are some of the many benefits that you should keep in mind if you are still unsure about ketamine therapy.

Business Advice: How to Make the Move From Contractor to CEO

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Being a contractor can be a pretty lucrative source of income. If you’re working freelance, you most likely get to work at your own pace, choose which projects to work on, and go on leave when you need or want to. It’s a dream job for many, especially if the goal is to be your own boss. But if this is indeed your professional goal, why not go all the way and make the move from contractor to CEO?

Having the CEO title can elevate your contractor position in more ways than one. You get to own the business, build a team of your own, and manage the firm from the four corners of your executive office. However, before you get to the glamorous part, you first need to figure out how to make the move efficiently. (1)

Adopting the CEO mindset

If you are ready to take the leap into becoming the CEO of your own business, you’ll need confidence in your own ability and a highly focused strategy.

To give you a head start, here are some contractor business tips to help you along the way:

  • Invest in the right digital tools

Nowadays, few businesses can thrive without the help of digital tools and platforms. If you’re in the roofing industry, or any field service sector for that matter, software like the one offered by Jobber can streamline your internal workflows and processes. Your productivity on other tasks can be increased, as well as the quality of your overall output. If you’re considering making the move to setting up your own business, you would be well advised to invest in the right technology that can make this easier for you. (2)

No matter what contractor industry you may be in, you’ll be able to find bespoke resources designed specifically for your business niche. (2)

  • Start building a great team

A company needs its own set of employees that’ll help you complete jobs, market the business, take care of recruitment, and much more. As you make the transition from being a contractor to CEO, start scouting for your team as early as you can. Remember that you’ll need to hire not just other contractors but also professionals that’ll be able to take care of different specialisms in your company, including human resources, accounting, customer relations, and marketing. (1)(3)

Be thorough when recruiting new members of your team, as you want your employees to represent your business. For that reason, they should be highly skilled and experienced enough for the position they’re applying for.

  • Be consistent with your marketing efforts

Marketing your services will be very different now that you’ll be embarking on a new journey as an entrepreneur. While word of mouth still proves to be effective on so many levels, there’s no harm in strategizing your marketing efforts so you can reach a wider audience. You can tap into the power of digital marketing, specifically social media, SEO, and content marketing. To create better awareness, and ensure your company’s mission and vision align with your ads and campaigns. (1)

  • Keep on improving yourself

Now that you’re about to become a CEO, it’ll take more than your contractor expertise to keep your company afloat, let alone to make it profitable and a success. It would be highly beneficial on your end if you could invest in education, training, and upskilling to equip yourself with the right skills and business acumen.

If acquiring a college degree seems too daunting for you, you can consider short online courses that major in business and management. That way, you can continue learning and improving yourself, allowing you to gain the right mindset and sharpness that a CEO should possess in the long run. (4)

  • Widen your social and business circle

As a contractor, you know that connections and networking can go a long way in getting new leads and clients. The same goes when you’re already the head of a company. You’ll be rubbing elbows with other businesspeople, and you should take every opportunity you can get to build a strong network. (5)

Fortunately, there are several networking events for entrepreneurs you can attend. City council meetings, industry events and seminars, luncheon or breakfast meetings, trade shows, as well as fundraisers are some of the things you can participate in. These will inevitably lead you to get more connections that might help your business grow. (3)(5)

Final words

Making the move from contractor to CEO is no easy feat. Don’t let the challenge discourage you, though, because, as they say, fortune favors the bold. The decision to start your own company could be a brilliant one that may lead to more stability, professional growth, and financial freedom. Hopefully, the above-mentioned tips can help you stay in the right lane.

References

  1. “6 Tips For Growing Your Contractor Business”, Source: https://www.youngupstarts.com/2018/01/30/6-tips-for-growing-your-contractor-business/
  2.  “15 Tips for Growing a Long-Lasting Contractor Business”, Source: https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/285633
  3. “Top 10 Rules Adopting A CEO Mindset In Your Small Business”, Source: https://ceoentrepreneur.com/top-10-rules-adopting-a-ceo-mindset-in-your-small-business/
  4. “How To Become A CEO: These Are The Steps You Should Take”, Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/christianstadler/2015/03/12/how-to-become-a-ceo-these-are-the-steps-you-should-take/?sh=565591bf1217
  5. “It’s the CEO Mindset that will Make Your Business Grow”, Source: https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/339041

5 Ways on How to Improve Sleep Quality

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Sleep has a significant impact on one’s life as it ensures mental and physical well-being. However, sometimes it’s not possible to get good quality and quantity of sleep, and this can make you feel groggy and drained. There are many factors that can contribute to poor sleep quality, and you can always take some measures to overcome them. For example, if you have sleep anxiety, specifically engineered weighted blankets for adults can alleviate the symptoms of anxiety for deep, restorative sleep.

Below, we have mentioned five ways that can help you improve your sleep quality naturally and fall asleep instantly. Keep reading to know!

1.   Limit the Intake of Unhealthy Foods and Drinks before Bedtime

Unhealthy fast food can cause stomach acidity and heartburn, which can disrupt a good night’s sleep. Hence, it’s vital to replace unhealthy food or even snacks with healthy ones by evening. You should also not binge on food as this can make you feel super full and uncomfortable.

Additionally, you should completely restrict the consumption of caffeine and caffeinated drinks because they are sleep inhibitors. Natural, fresh juices or simply water are excellent alternatives.

2.   Create a Soothing and Adequate Sleep Environment

Usually, the ideal sleep environment is dark, quiet, and cool. However, it can vary from person to person, so you should create an environment that best suits your preferences.

The use of dark blinds, an air conditioner, earplugs, and a white noise machine can all make the perfect sleep environment for you. You should also never overlook the importance of comfortable bedding.

3.   Limit Daytime Naps

It’s true that power naps can immediately recharge and rejuvenate your body. However, you should only limit your naps to “naps”. Typically, naps shouldn’t be more than 20 minutes, and if your “naps” exceed this time limit, then your sleep cycle will be disrupted. 

In return, you will feel exhausted, cranky, and confused. Moreover, you will also have to go through countless tosses and turns at night before finally dozing off.

4.   Follow Your Sleep Schedule

Just like your muscles get trained enough to not get sore after a few months of working out, the same is the case with your brain. After a while, your brain gets trained on when it goes to sleep and wakes up. This is basically called the circadian rhythm.

A healthy recommended sleep quantity is seven to eight hours for adults. So, you should make sure to sleep and get up at a certain time. For instance, if you sleep at 11 at night, you should always wake up at 7 in the morning. You shouldn’t get off track on holidays and weekends in order to maintain your circadian rhythm.

5.   Deal With Your Worries and Anxiety

Most of the time, you are not able to fall asleep quickly because of several stress factors. It could be related to your work or personal life.

Whatever it is, you need to make sure you deal with them before going to bed. Otherwise, your brain will be active, and your sleep quality will be adversely affected. You can either journal or meditate before going to bed to resolve your worries and anxiety.

If you’re depressed or you have any other mental health issue that is making you sleep-deprived, it’s important to visit a therapist as they can understand you better and help you cope with your issues easily.

How Art Investment Funds Work

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Perhaps you’re interested in using an art investment fund to participate in the art market, but you’re a little cloudy on the basics.

Here’s how art investment funds work.

What is an Art Fund?

Essentially, art funds are privately offered investment funds that seek to generate returns through the buying, holding, and selling of art. As compensation, they are paid a management fee, as well as a percentage of the returns the fund delivers.

Beyond that, each art fund has its own characteristics, including size, strategies, holding duration, and portfolio restrictions. Also note that investors are dependent on the fund in terms of art selection and strategy. They have no independent say in terms of how any of that is handled.

Image source Max Pixel

What Art Fund Managers Do

Investment management firms are typically made up of a blend of established art market professionals and investment advisors. Because art fund managers usually have capital of their own invested in the funds they manage, they line up their interests with those of their investors’. Or, said more precisely, potential investors can usually find a fund that lines up with their interests.

Fund managers’ responsibilities include:

— Looking for prospective acquisitions

— Raising fund capital

— Handling investor relations

— Taking care of fund administrative compliance 

— Providing loans to museums and mounting exhibitions to promote the portfolio 

— Storing and insuring the works

— Monitoring the art market as well as the fund’s artists

— Tending to the orderly disposition of the fund’s portfolio 

How Fund Managers Are Paid

Performance primarily determines the fees fund managers receive. Usually, such annual fees are between 1% and 3% of either the portfolio’s net asset value or the overall fund investors’ capital commitments. Art fund managers usually also charge a performance fee that comes out to 20% of any profits from the art portfolio’s disposition.

Art Fund Investment Strategies

There are an almost unlimited variety of strategies that managers can employ to invest in art.  Why? Because they differ from mutual funds and the like in that contract or law does not restrict them. The fact is that most art fund managers use varied strategic approaches in order to capitalize on opportunities and market trends.

It’s a Growing Marketplace

Most of the growth over the last few years has been pegged to investors’ collective realization that the art market continues to benefit from marked price appreciation. Meanwhile, traditional investments in stocks and bonds over the last decade or so have yielded comparatively lower returns. 

The number of art funds is also proliferating because of the recognition that, unlike with stocks, art investment is not subject to the ups and downs of the stock market. What’s more, the investor community sees that the lack of art market regulation offers unique investment opportunities.

Further, because an art fund manager’s compensation is largely tied to performance, excellent art market professionals are increasingly opting to go the art fund route. This enables them to share in pay arrangements that can surpass those of more conventional positions.

Now that you know how investment funds work, you can decide whether such an investment is right for you. Scores of investors do very well with such art funds, and as you can see, the number of art investment funds continues to increase.

Even better, you get all of the benefit of art as an investment, without the concerns of physically owning and caring for and exceptionally valuable work of art on your own. There are security concerns, maintenance concerns and insurance concerns with which you must contend.  This approach gets you the return on the investment, while sparing you the efforts associated with owning rare and valuable works of art.

The Best Way to Consolidate Your Bills

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If you’re having a challenging time juggling your bills, you’re not alone. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average expenditure of a U.S. household was $61,334 annually. Of those bills, 9 of the 14 major expenditures rose in 2020 and continue to rise. With the rise in costs, people are looking for helpful ways to cut and consolidate bills. However, finding the best way to consolidate your bills isn’t easy.

Image source: Nick Youngson CC BY-SA 3.0 Pix4free

Does Bill Consolidation Work?

Bill consolidation works as long as you don’t use the opportunity to spend more money. When you consolidate bills, you group enough of your bills together to make payments more manageable. Rather than working with different creditors, varying interests rates, and due dates, bill consolidation organizes it all into one fixed monthly payment, as you’ll learn at https://www.bills.com.

Step One: Start to Consolidate Bills

To consolidate bills, you must know the extent of your debt and how much income you have to meet those payments. You’ll have to list your credit cards, loans, and understand what their interest rates are. In addition, you’ll identify your sources of income and compare them to your monthly payments.

Step Two: Choose a Debt-Relief Option

Fortunately, there exists a variety of options to help you consolidate bills. The challenging part is choosing the right one for your situation. The following are the most common options for bill consolidation.

Balance Transfer Credit Card

A balance transfer credit card is a great choice for someone with a small amount of debt on high-interest credit cards. Credit cards with high interest rates can quickly drown you in balances if you’re not extremely careful. Data shows that 98% of credit cards charge hefty late fees and penalties. Using a balance transfer card to lower interest rates and make payments manageable work to consolidate bills from credit cards.

Bill Consolidation Loan

A bill consolidation loan is typically a personal loan from a bank. After taking out the bill consolidation loan, you would use the money to pay off the balance for credit card bills or other high-interest loans. The interest rates for bill consolidation loans rely on your credit score and you must meet the lenders qualifications.

Personal Loan from Friends and Family Members

Most people choose not to borrow money from friends or family members because it can risk relationships if things go south. That said, a personal loan from someone you know is an affordable way to help consolidate bills, especially if your credit is less than perfect. Making the loan more formal — by creating a promissory note, repayment plan, and even an interest rate — can help to make borrowing less from friends or family less awkward.

Home Equity Loan

If you own a home, you might have the option of using it to consolidate bills. A home equity loan uses your home as collateral for a loan. What makes home equity loans appealing are their interest rates, as they’re typically lower than those used for credit cards and car loans. Before looking into a home equity loan, however, you should know that defaulting could result in home foreclosure.

Debt Management Program

A debt management program is not a loan and you don’t need to put up your home as collateral. Rather, a debt management program helps your assess your finances, create a budget, and help you determine how to pay off your debt in a reasonable amount of time. Credit counselors answer your questions about the program and reach out to your creditors for you. The debt management program works with you to devise an affordable monthly payment, and they disburse these funds to pay your bills.

The Final Step: Making it Happen

Choosing a path to consolidate bills is a big step, but you don’t have to do it alone. If you’re looking for debt relief, Bills.com can answer your questions and help you choose the best way to consolidate your bills.

Oscar Nominations 2022: Full List

The 94th Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, will honor the best films released between March 1 and December 31, 2021, and is scheduled to take place at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, on March 27, 2022

Here is the full list of this year’s Oscar nominations:

Best picture

  • The Power of the Dog
  • West Side Story
  • Belfast
  • Dune
  • Licorice Pizza
  • King Richard
  • CODA
  • Don’t Look Up
  • Drive My Car
  • Nightmare Alley

Best actress

  • Olivia Colman – The Lost Daughter
  • Nicole Kidman – Being the Ricardos
  • Jessica Chastain – The Eyes of Tammy Faye
  • Kristen Stewart – Spencer
  • Penelope Cruz – Parallel Mothers

Best actor

  • Will Smith – King Richard
  • Benedict Cumberbatch – The Power of the Dog
  • Andrew Garfield – Tick, Tick… Boom!
  • Denzel Washington – The Tragedy of Macbeth
  • Javier Bardem – Being the Ricardos

Best supporting actress

  • Ariana DeBose – West Side Story
  • Kirsten Dunst – The Power of the Dog
  • Aunjanue Ellis – King Richard
  • Dame Judi Dench – Belfast
  • Jessie Buckley – The Lost Daughter

Best supporting actor

  • Kodi Smit-McPhee – The Power of the Dog
  • Ciarán Hinds – Belfast
  • Troy Kotsur – Coda
  • Jesse Plemons – The Power of the Dog
  • JK Simmons – Being the Ricardos

Best director

  • Jane Campion – The Power of the Dog
  • Paul Thomas Anderson – Licorice Pizza
  • Steven Spielberg – West Side Story
  • Sir Kenneth Branagh – Belfast
  • Ryusuke Hamaguchi – Drive My Car

Best original screenplay

  • Licorice Pizza – Paul Thomas Anderson
  • Belfast – Sir Kenneth Branagh
  • King Richard – Zach Baylin
  • Don’t Look Up – Adam McKay (story by McKay and David Sirota)
  • The Worst Person in the World – Joachim Trier and Eskil Vogt

Best adapted screenplay

  • The Power of the Dog – Jane Campion
  • The Lost Daughter – Maggie Gyllenhaal
  • CODA – Sian Heder
  • Dune – Jon Spaihts, Denis Villeneuve and Eric Roth
  • Drive My Car – Ryusuke Hamaguchi and Takamasa Oe

Best animated feature

  • Encanto
  • Luca
  • The Mitchells vs the Machines
  • Flee
  • Raya and the Last Dragon

Best documentary feature

  • Summer of Soul
  • Flee
  • Ascension
  • Attica
  • Writing with Fire

Best international feature

  • Drive My Car (Japan)
  • The Worst Person in the World (Norway)
  • Flee (Denmark)
  • The Hand of God (Italy)
  • Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom (Bhutan)

Best original song

  • No Time to Die – No Time to Die (Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell)
  • Dos Oruguitas – Encanto (Lin-Manuel Miranda)
  • Be Alive – King Richard (Beyoncé Knowles-Carter and Dixson)
  • Belfast – Down to Joy (Van Morrison)
  • Somehow You Do – Four Good Days (Diane Warren)

Best original score

  • The Power of the Dog – Jonny Greenwood
  • Dune – Hans Zimmer
  • Don’t Look Up – Nicholas Britell
  • Encanto – Germaine Franco
  • Parallel Mothers – Alberto Iglesias

Best cinematography

  • Dune – Greig Fraser
  • The Power of the Dog – Ari Wegner
  • The Tragedy of Macbeth – Bruno Delbonnel
  • Nightmare Alley – Dan Laustsen
  • West Side Story – Janusz Kaminski

Best visual effects

  • Dune – Paul Lambert, Tristan Myles, Brian Connor, Gerd Nefzer
  • Free Guy – Swen Gillberg, Bryan Grill, Nikos Kalaitzidis, Dan Sudick
  • Spider-Man: No Way Home – Kelly Port, Chris Waegner, Scott Edelstein and Dan Sudick
  • Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings – Christopher Townsend, Joe Farrell, Sean Noel Walker and Dan Oliver
  • No Time to Die – Charlie Noble, Joel Green, Jonathan Fawkner, Chris Corbould

Best film editing

  • Dune – Joe Walker
  • The Power of the Dog – Peter Sciberras‎
  • Don’t Look Up – Hank Corwin
  • King Richard – Pamela Martin
  • ick, Tick… Boom! – Myron Kerstein and Andrew Weisblum

Best costume design

  • Cruella – Jenny Beavan
  • Dune – Jacqueline West and Bob Morgan
  • West Side Story – Paul Tazewell
  • Nightmare Alley – Luis Sequeira
  • Cyrano – Massimo Cantini Parrini and Jacqueline Durran

Best sound

  • Dune – Mac Ruth, Mark Mangini, Theo Green, Doug Hemphill and Ron Bartlett
  • West Side Story – Tod A Maitland, Gary Rydstrom, Brian Chumney, Andy Nelson and Shawn Murphy
  • No Time to Die – Simon Hayes, Oliver Tarney, James Harrison, Paul Massey and Mark Taylor
  • Belfast – Denise Yarde, Simon Chase, James Mather and Niv Adiri
  • The Power of the Dog – Richard Flynn, Robert Mackenzie and Tara Webb

Best production design

  • Dune – Patrice Vermette and Zsuzsanna Sipos
  • Nightmare Alley – Tamara Deverell and Shane Vieau
  • West Side Story – Adam Stockhausen and Rena DeAngelo
  • The Tragedy of Macbeth – Stefan Dechant and Nancy Haigh
  • The Power of the Dog – Grant Major and Amber Richards

Best make-up and hairstyling

  • The Eyes of Tammy Faye – Linda Dowds, Stephanie Ingram and Justin Raleigh
  • Dune – Donald Mowat, Love Larson and Eva von Bahr
  • Cruella – Nadia Stacey, Naomi Donne and Julia Vernon
  • Coming 2 America – Mike Marino, Stacey Morris and Carla Farmer
  • House of Gucci – Goran Lundstrom, Anna Carin Lock and Frederic Aspiras

Best live action short

  • Ala Kachuu – Take and Run
  • The Dress
  • The Long Goodbye
  • On My Mind
  • Please Hold

Best animated short

  • Affairs of the Art
  • Bestia
  • Boxballet
  • Robin Robin
  • The Windshield Wiper

Best documentary short

  • Audible
  • Lead Me Home
  • The Queen of Basketball
  • Three Songs for Benazir
  • When We Were Bullies

Rayan: Moroccan Boy Retrieved from Well, But His Condition Is Unclear

Moroccan rescuers retrieved a 5-year-old boy from a well where he had been stuck for five days, state media reported late on February 5, but it was not clear if he had survived the ordeal.

They worked through the night to reach the boy, named by local media as Rayan, who plunged 32m (104ft) through the well’s narrow opening four days ago.

Rescuers said they were in an access tunnel less than a metre from the boy.

Fears of a possible landslide complicated the task. At that moment, a rescue official was unsure Rayan was still alive.

Chief rescuer Abdelhadi Tamrani told AFP that the camera showed him from behind lying on his side.

“It is not possible to determine the child’s condition at all at this time. But we hope to God that the child is alive,” he told local TV.

Footage on February 3 from a camera lowered into the well showed that Rayan was alive and conscious, although he appeared to be suffering from some minor head injuries.

Rescue workers have lowered an oxygen mask, food and water into the well but it was unclear whether the boy had been able to use the supplies.

A medical team is also on site, ready to treat the boy. A helicopter has also arrived at the scene.

The rescue effort has gripped the North African country for days, and thousands have gathered at the scene and have been encouraging rescuers.

The mixture of rocky and sandy soils has meant rescuers deem opening the water well’s narrow shaft to be too dangerous.

Instead, bulldozers were used to cut a huge trench next to the well. Rescuers then started digging horizontally to reach the boy.

Image source: Getty Images

Led by Morocco’s Civil Protection Directorate, rescue operations in the small northern town of Tamorot, around 60 miles from the city of Chefchaouen, have been ongoing since February 1.

Rayan’s father was repairing the well at the time of the accident, and has said he and Rayan’s mother were “devastated and very worried”.

“In that one moment I took my eyes off him, the little one fell into the well. I haven’t slept a wink,” he told news site le360 on February 2.

Speaking to Moroccan media with tears in her eyes, Rayan’s mother said: “The whole family went out to look for him. Then we realised that he’d fallen down the well. I’m still keeping up hope that we’ll get him out alive.”

On Moroccan social media, the #SaveRayan has been trending across the country as thousands of people have followed updates from local media and onlookers at the scene.

Mike Pence: “President Trump Was Wrong to Seek to Overturn Biden Win”

Photo Getty Images

Mike Pence has dismissed claims by Donald Trump that he could have stopped Joe Biden becoming president.

In his strongest rebuttal yet, the former vice-president said Donald Trump was wrong to suggest he had had the right to overturn the election.

Separately the Republican Party censured two of its top lawmakers for investigating the Capitol riots.

A mob stormed the Capitol as lawmakers met to confirm President Joe Biden’s poll win on January 6, 2021.

Four people died during the riots, and a police officer who suffered two strokes while defending the building died the following day.

The two legislators, Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger, are the only Republicans on a congressional select committee investigating the riots.

The statement by the Republican National Committee (RNC) accused Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger of helping to persecute “ordinary citizens engaged in legitimate political discourse”.

The RNC appeared to suggest rioters had been involved in legitimate political actions but RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel clarified that it was a reference to “legitimate political discourse that had nothing to do with violence at the Capitol”.

Who Stormed Capitol Building?

According to recent reports, the vote was passed by an overwhelming majority of the 168 RNC members at their winter meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The committee said it would “immediately cease any and all support of them” as party members without removing them from the party.

Both lawmakers issued statements in advance of the vote.

“The leaders of the Republican Party have made themselves willing hostages to a man who admits he tried to overturn a presidential election and suggests he would pardon January 6 defendants, some of whom have been charged with seditious conspiracy,” Liz Cheney said.

They also received support from other opponents of Donald Trump in the party. 

Senator Mitt Romney tweeted: “Shame falls on a party that would censure persons of conscience, who seek truth in the face of vitriol.”

Speaking in Orlando, Florida, Mike Pence was responding to Donald Trump’s comments on January 30 that he could have overturned the election if he had wanted to.

Donald Trump has falsely claimed that the election was stolen by Joe Biden.

Days later Donald Trump said the select committee should be investigating Mike Pence instead of the rioters.

Mike Pence responded: “President Trump is wrong. I had no right to overturn the election. The presidency belongs to the American people, and the American people alone.

“And [current Vice-President] Kamala Harris will have no right to overturn the election when we beat them in 2024.”

5 Hacks for Reaching Your Summer Fitness Goals

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Have you set a variety of fitness goals for yourself that you want to achieve by summer? Are you hoping to feel and look your best so you can enjoy all summer has to offer? If so, there is no time like the present to get started on reaching those goals. They can seem a bit intimidating at first, which is why it’s a good idea to have some basic tips and hacks that you can embrace to help you achieve them. Here are five you can get started with.

Image by Wenisa Ng from Pixabay

Make Sure Your Goals are Realistic

The first tip is to ensure the goals are realistic. That doesn’t mean they have to be small goals; it just means they need to be realistic. There needs to be a clear path that makes reaching that goal possible. Just remember, if you reach your goal early, you can always reassess and tweak your goal.

Create a Workout Plan

In order to reach your fitness goals, it will be absolutely necessary to include working out. Even if you don’t need or want to lose weight, working out will help to build endurance, strength, balance, flexibility and tone your muscles. All of these factors will better your health. On the same note, it’s important to recognize that working out doesn’t have to be done at the gym since there are many effective workouts you can do at home.

For newbies that haven’t created a workout plan in the past, it can be helpful to use a workout app. They can provide tips and suggestions where training and exercise is concerned. They will track your activity, you can set reminders and goals, and you can use the app as a motivational tool.

If you want to make your workout fun yet effective you can try such activities as:

  • Biking
  • Walking
  • Jogging
  • Hiking
  • Swimming
  • Dance classes
  • Yoga

The goal should be at least 30 minutes of continuous activity, at least four times a week.

Look into Supplements That Can Help

You may also want to look into supplements that can help you to achieve your goals faster and more effectively, such as Turk. Look for things that can build muscle and improve your strength, which will allow you to get more from your workout. Other supplements that can help you to achieve your fitness goals include:

  • Fish oil
  • Creatine
  • Vitamin D
  • Protein
  • Magnesium
  • Vitamin K2

Find Yourself a Workout Buddy

For many people, the problem isn’t a lack of a plan or lack of realistic goals; it’s lack of motivation. It’s very easy to put things off, tell yourself you’ll work out the next day, or that your workout doesn’t need to be so long or intense. One of the best ways to create accountability is to find a workout buddy that has similar goals. The two of you can motivate each other, keep each other focused and celebrate each other’s achievements.

If you don’t have someone that can act as a workout buddy, try a workout forum online or, again, use one of the workout/health based apps that have a community feature in them. A digital workout buddy can still be effective.

Change Your Diet

The final hack is to change your diet. This doesn’t mean you need to embrace the latest fad diet; instead, it means eating a healthy well-balanced mix of foods. Pay close attention to portion sizes to ensure you’re not eating too many calories per day.

By using each of these hacks you’ll be well on your way to reaching your summer fitness goals in time for the warm weather.

Five Aspects of the American Culture

New immigrants, international students, and visitors may find it difficult to adjust to the free life of America. People from countries with sophisticated cultures and rigid socio-political activities may find some US cultures too confusing. However, these aspects need to be adjusted, especially if you are in any of the universities and are there to study culture or related courses.

Suppose you find yourself in the new American environment, or you may one day want to explore American culture. In that case, you may need to get yourself familiar materials about American culture. Luckily, there are dozens of essays about American culture written by both Americans and visitors. Get your hands on various essays or essay examples that students from various colleges have reviewed. However, this article will list five aspects of the American culture you need to get familiar with and the American culture examples. However, studying culture-related courses in college will broaden your knowledge of the American culture we will mention in this article.

If you don’t want to get lost in your new environment, be it your university as a new student, workplace or you want to add to your education, you need to follow through this article also to see some American Culture examples you should look forward to in your stay in America.

Photo by Josh Willink from Pexels

Independence

For individuals from countries with rigid socio-political systems,  seeing the level of independence in America might seem strange. America is a country that believes in and enforces freedom in all sectors. The level of independence in the country is next to none in the world. Trust me, America upholds individualism to the fullest.

Americans want to control their lives, and this even goes down to the kids. Even parents do not have total control of their children’s lives. Every individual in America has the freedom and rights to join any group or to declare any sexuality.

Equality

The concept of equality among gender, race, and nationality originated in America. For a country that had experienced one of the most deadly civil wars and racial crises, America’s concept of equality was bound to take ground. Natives believe that everyone is equal irrespective of their social status or class. The court in the country enforces equality to the minimum.

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Informality

As much as Americans love to look good in suits on Monday mornings, their level of formality doesn’t exceed the Monday morning looks. Americans are known to take relationships, dress, and look as casual as possible.

Employees can directly address their bosses by their first name without any fuss. Some children call their parents by their first name. Store clerks and waiters introduce themselves by their first names. Many people from other nationalities and cultures may confuse the causality and informality in America for rudeness. It isn’t rudeness; it is part of what makes the American people.

Directness

Americans are open individuals. They can be so direct at comments and conversation. An average American takes delight in good communication between people they are involved with, expecting honesty. In America, you will experience a direct conversation between employers and employees,  honest comments on your fashion sense, or work not well done. Foreigners may take their honesty as insults. However, it is not. The comments did come from an honest place.

Optimism

Another fascinating thing about America is their habit of “never say never.” Americans are optimistic people who see solutions in difficult situations. When you see a half-empty glass of water, a US native is seeing a glass of water that is half-full. No wonder the world has so many technological breakthroughs from the country. So, if you are taking a trip to America, you need to pump up your level of optimism because you are in a country that never says never.

Conclusion

We wonder why US citizens seem to flourish in all aspects of their lives – leading the world’s socio-political sector. We also wonder why many countries follow the steps of the country. These five aspects of American culture have made the country the most visited country in the world. Understanding these five aspects of American Culture will make you easily fit into American society.

Self-Care Advice for Living in California

Whether you have lived in California all your life, or have recently moved, there may be a number of things that you love about the state. However, at times, it is normal to feel despondent, especially if local or national news, or even your own personal problems, get you down. There are a number of ways that you can take better care of yourself while making the most of what California has to offer. In doing so, you could really boost your overall wellbeing and even fall in love with your state all over again.

Cutting down on going out can be a great way of making yourself feel that bit more financially secure, and could even help to reduce some of the strain on your family. Rather than attempting to take on more work, or even a second job, to get by, you could consider your current bills and figure out which could benefit from a significant change.

Image by David Mark from Pixabay

Switching to pay-per-mile insurance in California can be one way to make a big difference in your household. This can reduce the amount you pay for your insurance premium simply by using telematics to figure out how much driving you actually do. Many traditional policies could simply set out a blanket price for a number of miles which, more often than not, you may have estimated greater than you actually do. Saving tens, if not hundreds, of dollars on your car insurance could cause less stress, meaning you may feel better within yourself, and even have fewer problems sleeping.

Another form of self-care that you could certainly undertake while living in The Golden State can be to get plenty of fresh air and exercise. While there are a number of gyms and leisure facilities throughout the state, sometimes it can be a good idea to venture into the great outdoors. California has many areas of natural beauty that can be perfect for hiking. You could opt to find some inner peace on a waterfall trail, ground yourself next to the mighty Redwood trees, or even take an amble with your family along some of the gorgeous coves and beaches. Getting yourself outside, and engaging in physical activity, could help your body to release endorphins, which can make you feel a lot happier.

It is quite well-known that California can be a hotspot for celebrities to live in. This does not, however, mean that you need to keep up with all the fashions and trends. It can be difficult to see others having luxuries, especially if you live or work in a city that is known for excess, or people having a lot of money. Attempting to mirror their lifestyle choices could make you feel low, or even cause you severe financial strain. Opting to reduce how much you follow celebrity culture, and finding ways to feel more confident with who you are, could allow you to still appreciate living in a star-studded environment, without the need to feel self-conscious.

Practicing self-care can help you to feel better about yourself. This could involve considering your finances, but also making the most of the sights and attractions that California has to offer.

Qualities of the Best Workday Implementation Partners

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It’s likely you’ve at least heard of Workday. And if you’re looking for a Workday implementation partner, you probably already have some idea of its capabilities. But how should you know which Workday implementation partner is right for your organization? Here are some of the qualities of the best Workday implementation partners.

Image source: www.workday.com

What Is Workday?

Workday offers several compelling enterprise cloud-based applications—focused mainly on financial, human resources, and lifecycle management. These are some of the most useful tools in the whole world of enterprise software. There are several reasons why Workday is such a workhorse when it comes to administrative duties:

  • With everything under one roof, Workday allows for comprehensive management of the departments that drive your organization—all while collecting data for analysis and realizing greater efficiencies.
  • Being a cloud-based service provider, Workday’s suite of applications comes in at a lower price point than many of its competitors’ offerings. Without having to invest in upfront infrastructure and IT spend, Workday can deliver more immediate return.
  • Workday is a software provider you can trust. Management has a long history of delivering top-level products and results. Furthermore, Workday is used by the largest enterprises in the world because it’s able to pass the most stringent of security audits.
  • There are some applications that don’t change with the times. Workday isn’t one of them. The ability to always be striving for more, and continuously improving, are two of the defining characteristics of Workday.

Clearly, there are benefits to adopting Workday. But how is your organization going to extract the most value from its deployment? This is where a Workday implementation partner comes into play.

What Is a Workday Implementation Partner?

There are plenty of reasons why it makes sense for enterprises to utilize Workday solutions. But doing so comes with its own set of challenges. The range of outcomes for Workday implementation is incredibly wide. Those who make the right moves deploying and using Workday over the long term will achieve better results than those who take less optimal paths. No matter the quality of software applications, there’s still a level of responsibility that rests with the user.

This is where Workday partners come into play. Essentially, you don’t have to go at it alone when utilizing Workday. There are organizations that offer Workday-related services that run the gamut from on-boarding to continuing support. Choosing a winning Workday partner can help your organization get much better results. These are a few of the ways a Workday partner can assist in this process:

  • Translate your needs into action – You know what you need from Workday; but do you know how to accomplish it? Moreover, do you know how to go above and beyond what you originally imagined to realize new efficiencies? This is exactly what you can expect from a great Workday partner.
  • Show you full platform capabilities – It can take a long time to figure out how to make a software application conform to your needs. Utilizing a Workday partner will allow you to get the full benefits of the platform in less time, which will help both with operations and finances.
  • Have someone guide you through updates – As already mentioned; Workday is a suite of applications allergic to stagnation. While this keeps Workday services constantly on the cusp of what’s useful and productive for teams, it also requires active engagement on the user end. A Workday partner will keep you up-to-date on all current best practices and uses for the Workday platform.

A Workday partner can be a positive influence on your adoption and ongoing use of the Workday suite. Yet, not all Workday partners are going to offer the same level of services. Let’s investigate what to look for when seeking a Workday partner.

What Are the Qualities of the Best Workday Implementation Partners?

Now that you know a Workday partner can play a vital role in its successful implementation, you need to get an idea for what qualities make the best Workday partners. These are some things you should look for and expect from Workday implementation partners:

  • Ability to further increase ROI – When evaluating anything in the business world, it’s essential to carefully consider return on investment (ROI) before allocating capital. Workday is known to be a terrific investment, as it consistently creates return for enterprises. You want your Workday implementation partner to take this to an even greater degree. Workday partners can accomplish this through improving your internal data usage, getting your system up and operational in less time, and knowing how to manage the platform more efficiently. Ensure a Workday partner can show how they’ve created value through their services in the past through quantifiable return figures.
  • Knowledge and services through the whole lifecycle – The process of deploying Workday isn’t just a finish line you cross and then call it a day. It’s an ongoing process, constantly requiring optimization, configuration, and support. Can your Workday partner handle all that? Going with a Workday implementation partner that has broad, but also specialized, experience will help guarantee you’re getting the most out of the platform, while reaching cost parity and return sooner.
  • Proven track record of successful deployment – This should go without saying, but it’s still something that’s mistakenly overlooked at times. You only want a Workday partner that has a proven track record of getting deployed at other enterprises at your scale and in your industry. While this might not be as critical of a concern for all organizations, some businesses, such as those that operate in highly regulated areas, need to be extra vigilant about data security. A botched platform deployment can leave enterprise data vulnerable to malicious parties, which can be catastrophic for groups that deal with highly sensitive data. Only trust a time-tested Workday partner with your precious digital assets.

It’s not an exaggeration to say that the right Workday implementation partner can significantly affect the speed, quality, and long-term success of Workday deployment. Make sure you look for the best qualities in a Workday partner during your search.

What is the Origin of the BlackLivesMatter Movement?

The BlackLivesMatter movement is something you must have heard at one point in time. It rocked the US and the world to its core when this movement started. Every college and university student has to know about this movement now as it has changed history in its way and is an integral part of education now.

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What was the Original Structure of the Black Lives Matter Movement?

The Black Lives Matter movement was founded in 2013 by three black female organizers: Opal Tometi, Alicia Garza and Patrisse Cullors. The Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement was started as a reaction to a situation these powerful women knew needed looking into. It was formed due to the unjust killing of Trayvon Martin. George Zimmerman’s neighbourhood watch shot an unarmed, black teenager walking around a district.

Zimmerman called the police about a black man looking “suspicious,” but Zimmerman had shot the budding youth before law enforcement could arrive. This cold-blooded murder led to a tasking case where Zimmerman was acquitted of the second-degree murder charge he was charged with. The Black Lives Matter movement started as a hashtag on social media and quickly gained ground due to this acquittal. The original structure of the organization was as an information platform and an organizing tool. A tool dedicated to fighting anti-black violence, racism, unfair treatment, and other affiliations black people face.

What’s Changed about the BLM Structure since then?

The BLM movement has risen to become one of the biggest civil movements in the United States. The moment in 2020 when millions of US citizens decided to come forward in a March, a BLM protest under the #Black Lives Matter or #BLM slogan, the game changed, and the movement became more prominent than ever. It quickly rose to a greater level, and it has become more traditional in the process. It’s like there is a new hierarchy in the movement.

Members typically see the movement as decentralized with no clear superior in charge. But now, it seems like power got to the head of some members and their behavioural patterns changed towards others. Coupled with the fact that some members are more recognized, the structure took a hierarchical structure. There are many essay examples about the movement online.

Photo by Kelly L from Pexels

How is Public Opinion about BLM Changing and Why?

When the movement started, it was solid, and it led to a very new mindset, showing masses how terrible and rampant police brutality is among blacks. But now, it seems like the hype is falling. Studies have shown that more people are putting their trust in US law enforcement in the USA. Some surveys showed how many white Americans aged 47 to 55 have the highest percentage of those who dropped the cause. When Trayvon was shot, the movement was very solid. Then after a couple of years, enthusiasm started dropping among the white folks. Till Floyd’s killings happened, and interest piqued up again. But dropped after a while.

The Black American movement is still solid; interests are not dying down across all genders, ages and individuality. The people dropping back had a couple of reasons; some said it was because things would never change, some changed because of a new thing they saw online.

Is this Evolution of Black Lives Matter Typical of Social Movement?

The evolution of the BLM movement is quite typical and not typical of a social movement. An excellent social movement will gain recognition and more attention because people can relate to them. This is what happened with the BLM movement. But after a while, people’s interests will start to wane. People are dynamic and cannot stay at the same frequency for a long time. The movement is not so typical because it gained tremendous coverage and members in a ridiculously little time. Many social movements don’t get to the stage of power and prominence the BLM movement have reached.

Is it all Clear what Structure BLM will or should have in the Future?

Humans are dynamic, and no one can exactly tell what will happen in the future. But there is speculation the movement will continue in its hierarchical form and maybe expand the idea to all its facets. The situation has already been set in stone, and some members already have titles, distinguishing them from the rest.

Conclusion

The BLM movement will always be a prominent and powerful political force in the US and other parts of the world. With branches and headquarters in different countries and cities, it is safe to say that this movement is here to stay.

5 Exciting Ways We Can Encourage Kids to Learn AI

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Given how deeply entrenched AI (artificial intelligence) is in our everyday lives, it’s ironic that few of us talk about it or even really understand what it is.

As the We Are Teachers website explains, though the global economic impact of AI is anticipated to approach $16 trillion by 2030, only 45% of US high schools offer computer science courses. Furthermore, many of these are not compulsory.

So, how can you take things into your own hands, and give kids a head start by encouraging them to learn more about AI?

Weave the subject of AI into routine conversations

Your own kids probably often utilize AI without even realizing it. AI decides – for example – which of their friends’ posts to show in what order on social media feeds, and how characters in computer games react to the player’s on-screen actions.

So, you could look for subtle ways to raise the subject of AI as you see any of your children using consumer technology that you know relies on it.

Teach kids how to code

This is an especially good idea if you know any kids already showing an interest in STEM (science, technology, engineering, math) subjects.

On the fast.ai website, data scientist Rachel Thomas explains: “In STEM, code is the language of creativity, and without knowing how to code, you are reliant on tools created by others.”

She particularly advocates JavaScript, as it is “interactive, visual, and the language of the web”. Hence, JavaScript is “the best language for creating things that will interest … non-coder friends.”

Bring your kids to a ‘maker space’

A ‘maker space’ is basically a space where people are already using, or can use, AI to create intriguing machinery. Thomas notes that maker spaces have been increasingly added to libraries across the United States, and can include design software, woodworking tools and more.

There might even be a Maker Faire event held periodically in your particular area – in which case, you could do a little research to see when the next local Maker Faire event is coming up.  

RASPBERRY PI 3 MODEL B+ BULK | Raspberry Pi 3 - Model B+ 1GB RAM |  Distrelec România

Introduce your child to the Raspberry Pi

A Raspberry Pi is a pocket-sized computer visually reminiscent of a circuit board and capable of being connected to various devices and accessories. The Pi itself can be programmed to do its user’s bidding through the ports to which these add-ons are attached.

You can buy a Raspberry Pi – along with various hi-tech attachments for it – from a specialist online store such as The Pi Hut.

Show kids what other people have achieved with a Pi

“I’m here to talk to you about my game of life on a Pi – a Raspberry Pi controls an Arduino which lights up the LED Matrix,” the then-13-year-old Amy Mather said at the Raspberry Jamboree event in the UK city of Manchester in 2013, as quoted by WIRED UK.

It’s a strong testament to the Raspberry Pi’s ability to inspire young people’s interest in AI – and an incentive for you to encourage such interest in kids you know personally.

Everything You Need to Know to Change Careers into Nursing

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nursing

Nursing is a great career for those who have burnt out and are looking for a change. Perhaps you are done with working solely so someone else can get richer and instead want to do something that makes a difference. Perhaps you had an inspiring interaction with a nurse who truly made a bad period in your life so much better.

There are so many reasons why people get started with nursing, and so many why people would want to change careers into this field. Understanding what nursing entails, who is best suited to nursing, and what you need to do to change your career are all essential first steps, and you can get started by following this guide:

What to Expect as a Nurse

Nursing is very rewarding, but it isn’t for everyone. You will be seeing people and families at their worst. Not every story will have a happy ending. In many cases, it isn’t about saving lives so much as it is alleviating pain and pushing back that final end as much as you can. Nurses are heroes not because their job is easy, but because it is hard, and they do it anyway.

The pandemic has really pushed nurses to the brink as well and has caused serious cases of compassion and chronic fatigue. More nurses are the solution, however, and by the time you are fully qualified, the strain of the pandemic will either be over or will be managed down to an art.

Not every nursing role is stressful and chaotic, however. You can work as a nurse almost anywhere. If high-impact and high-stress situations are not a good fit for you, you can work in a clinic or find a post in a rural area (or even in telehealth) that will allow you to focus primarily on preventative and holistic health rather than emergency healthcare.

In short, nursing can be stressful. It can be difficult. There are also more than enough roles and opportunities out there that you should be able to find the right fit for you while still contributing to your nursing career.

What Qualities Make a Great Nurse?

A nurse is someone who is compassionate but still capable of getting the job done – even the messy, terrible, and scary jobs. Having a cool head, being able to work under pressure, and having an attention to detail are all excellent qualities to have as a nurse, and though some can be learned and practiced, others are rather innate.

You need to have true grit to help others when they are at their lowest, health-wise. You need to be able to handle crisis situations with poise and precision. Not every job as a nurse requires you to work in the trauma ward or to save lives where seconds count, but being able to work in such an environment, even on a short-term basis, can help you thrive in this career.

If you have taken care of others, if you are a primary carer for a loved one, and if you always seem to be the one who tackles the “messy” jobs that others are squeamish about, then you likely are a good fit to be a nurse. Throughout your new career, however, remember it isn’t about what you can take but what suits you. Even though you can handle a crisis, that does not mean your best fit in nursing isn’t somewhere else entirely, like a primary care clinic.

How to Get Started in Nursing

Getting started as a nurse when you currently don’t work as one can feel daunting, but the good news is that there are many options into the career. The most straightforward option is with a BSN. You can continue to work in your current setup, either full-time or part-time and then slowly get through a BSN degree (there will, of course, be clinical components to your studies).

Alternatively, you can fast-track through your BSN, either by committing to it full-time or alternatively by using any applicable science credits from an existing degree that you already have.

You can earn a certificate and get into nursing first as a certified nursing assistant or a licensed nurse practitioner, but this is a much longer route and not always the best way forward. If you can currently support yourself and your family in your current setup, going straight for a BSN is the fastest and most cost-effective way into nursing.

Once you graduate from that BSN, you will then need to take your state’s nursing exam. This exam is essential to earning your license.

Where you can use this license depends on the state you are certified. If your state is within the Nurse Licensure Compact, then you will be issued a multi-state license that will allow you to work within the NLC with minimal intrusion. If you aren’t, however, you will need to apply for a new license and work with the existing framework if you want to move out of state.

How to Advance Your Nursing Career

Advancing your nursing career will require additional education, though this time with one key difference: you’ll be working as a nurse while you continue to study. You can work to become a nurse practitioner in Texas, which is considered one of the best jobs in the USA, and in healthcare, but while you are studying, you will likely either be working full-time or at least part-time.

There are many benefits to working while studying. Your work will always be essential, so working while you study means you can help more people without taking a break. It also means you can keep your skills sharp and learn many great skills

You will need to strike a delicate balance and be prepared to possibly switch from full-time to part-time work if you can. The last thing you need when furthering your nursing career is to burn out because this won’t help you or your patients.

Being patient with yourself and prioritizing your health and routine will help you pursue a degree while working as a nurse, and done right can help you be both a better student and a better nurse to all.

Meat Loaf Dies Aged 74

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Dallas-born singer and actor Meat Loaf has died at the age of 74.

His Bat Out Of Hell album is one of the best-selling of all time.

The news of his death was confirmed on the star’s Facebook page by his family.

“Our hearts are broken to announce that the incomparable Meat Loaf passed away tonight with his wife Deborah by his side,” a message read.

Meat Loaf sold 100 million albums worldwide and also appeared in movies like Fight Club, The Rocky Horror Picture Show and Wayne’s World.

“Daughters Pearl and Amanda and close friends have been with him throughout the last 24 hours,” his family continued.

“We know how much he meant to so many of you and we truly appreciate all of the love and support as we move through this time of grief in losing such an inspiring artist and beautiful man.”

“We thank you for your understanding of our need for privacy at this time.

“From his heart to your souls…don’t ever stop rocking!”

Meat Loaf was born Marvin Lee Aday but also known as Michael, and got his nickname when his dad said he looked as red as meat at birth, before a high school football coach added the “loaf”.

He was best known for his Bat Out Of Hell trilogy, which sold millions of albums worldwide.

Meat Loaf released a string of other albums in the late 1970s and 1980s, most notably notably Dead Ringer and Midnight at the Lost and Found.

Cher, who duetted with him on the 1981 track Dead Ringer for Love, recalled having “had so much fun” with the singer on the track.

In the 90s, Meat Loaf’s hit I’d Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That) was the UK’s best-selling single of 1993 and earned him a Grammy Award.

On screen, Meat Loaf played Eddie in 1975 musical film The Rocky Horror Picture Show, was bouncer Tiny in 1992’s Wayne’s World, and appeared opposite Brad Pitt as bodybuilder Robert Paulsen in 1999’s Fight Club.

Bat Out Of Hell – which remains one of the top 10 biggest-selling albums ever, alongside LPs by Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston and the Eagles – was also adapted as a stage musical, written by long-time collaborator Jim Steinman.

Tributes have been paid from the world of entertainment.

Bonnie Tyler, who recorded an album with Meat Loaf in 1989, said he was “a larger than life character with a voice & stage presence to match & is one of those rare people who truly was a one off talent and personality.”

Meat Loaf had his battles with illness and injuries over the years.

In 1978, he broke his leg jumping off a stage in Ottawa, Canada, finishing his tour performing in a wheelchair.

The star also fainted on stage while performing in Pittsburgh in 2011 and then collapsed on stage during a concert in Canada in 2016.

Three years later, Meat Loaf broke his collar bone falling off an interview stage at a convention in Texas.

When Jim Steinman died last year Meat Loaf paid tribute, posting: “Coming here soon, my brother Jimmy.”

Novak Djokovic Set to Be Deported from Australia After Loosing Visa Battle

Tennis star Novak Djokovic is set to be deported from Australia after losing a last-ditch court bid to stay in the country.

Judges rejected the Serbian’s challenge to the government’s decision to cancel his visa on “health and good order” grounds.

The world number one’s hopes of defending his Australian Open title and winning a record 21st Grand Slam in Melbourne are over.

Novak Djokovic, 34, said he was “extremely disappointed” but accepted the ruling.

He said in a statement: “I will co-operate with the relevant authorities in relation to my departure from the country.”

It was not immediately clear when he would leave.

Novak Djokovic’s supporters fell silent outside the courtroom as the decision was announced.

Australian PM Scott Morrison welcomed “the decision to keep our borders strong and keep Australians safe”.

“Australians have made many sacrifices during this pandemic, and they rightly expect the result of those sacrifices to be protected,” he said.

Novak Djokovic launched the case after Immigration Minister Alex Hawke used his ministerial powers to cancel the unvaccinated player’s visa, arguing that his presence in the country risked fanning anti-vaccine sentiment.

It was the second time Novak Djokovic’s visa had been revoked, after a first cancelation over not following Covid entry rules was overturned by a different judge.

Image source Reuters

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During January 16 court hearing before a three-judge panel, Novak Djokovic’s defense unsuccessfully argued that the grounds given by the government were “invalid and illogical”.

Chief Justice James Allsop said the federal court’s ruling was based on the lawfulness and legality of the minister’s decision, not on the “merits or wisdom of that decision”.

Full reasoning for the ruling will be made public in the coming days, he said.

Deportation orders usually include a three-year ban on returning to Australia, though this can be waived in certain circumstances.

The January 16 decision marks the end of a 10-day saga over Novak Djokovic’s Australian visa.

There has been much public anger in Australia over the player’s attempt to enter the country unvaccinated. The federal government has repeatedly said people must comply with the strict laws in place to deal with the pandemic, and that no-one is “above the law”.

Novak Djokovic was originally granted a medical exemption to enter Australia by two different independent health panels – one commissioned by Tennis Australia, the other by the state government of Victoria – after testing positive for coronavirus in mid-December.

However, the Australian Border Force detained him on January 5 for not meeting federal coronavirus requirements.

A judge later overturned that decision, but the government stepped in on January 14 to revoke the visa again, saying doing so was in the public interest.

Although Novak Djokovic is not vaccinated against Covid-19, he has not actively promoted anti-vax disinformation. However, Australian anti-vaxxers have been using the hashtag #IStandWithDjokovic on social media.

Australian opposition politician Kristina Keneally accused the government of a “litany of failures” in dealing with Djokovic’s visa application, as she questioned why the tennis player was granted a visa to begin with.

The government “mishandled Novak Djokovic’s case, undermined Australia’s border security settings, and provided a lightning rod for the anti-vaccination movement”, she argued.

In his statement on January 16, Novak Djokovic said he was “uncomfortable” with the focus placed on him because of the visa row.

“I hope that we can all now focus on the game and tournament I love,” he said.

Italy’s Salvatore Caruso, who is ranked 150th in the world, will now replace Novak Djokovic in his match against Serbia’s Miomir Kecmanovic on January 17.

Italian Fashion Designer Nino Cerruti Dies Aged 91

Image source: Wikimedia Commons

Nino Cerruti, one of the great Italian designers and fashion entrepreneurs, has died at the age 91.

According to local reports, Nino Cerruti passed away in hospital in Piedmont where he had checked in for a hip operation.

The fashion pioneer always insisted on trying on his own creations first. Many of them were kept at the textile factory his grandfather founded in the town of Biella in 1881.

“I have always dressed the same person, myself,” Nini Cerruti once said, according to AFP news agency.

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With his experience in producing excellent fabrics at his family’s textile mill, Cerruti went into the clothing business in the late 1950s.

He opened his first boutique in Paris in 1967.

When he asked male and female models to walk down the catwalk in the same clothes, Nino Cerruti revolutionized fashion, AFP notes.

In the ’80s, Nino Cerruti branched out into Hollywood, designing clothes for stars including Jack Nicholson, Michael Douglas, Sharon Stone, Julia Roberts and Tom Hanks.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TOpq-TyzJ8o

Useful Tips on How to Start Your Fitness Journey in 2022

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Photo by bruce mars on Unsplash

New year, new body! That should be your mantra and motivation to stay fit. Staying fit is important, not just because your body gets to look better but also because it generally enhances your health and keeps your body’s mind and soul in check. This is essential as it helps your life get better as unfitness is a leading cause of many terminal diseases. Therefore, as the year unravels, it is important to start a fitness journey so that you’ll be able to have a hitch-free year health-wise.

How Do I Start My Fitness Journey?

There are vital steps you need to take to start your fitness journey. If these steps are followed religiously and done properly, you will attain your fitness goal for the year. They include:

Get A Gym Membership

There is a lot of working out that needs to be done to stay fit. And sometimes, you may need to use certain equipment to aid your exercise routine. However, these types of equipment are not cheap, so buying them for personal use will not be recommended. Instead, it is advisable to subscribe to a gym membership to access different equipment and tools for a small monthly fee. A gym membership will also go a long way in motivating you and giving you a detailed and well-organized routine to achieve your fitness goal.

Photo by Gabin Vallet on Unsplash

Exercise Daily

After getting your gym membership, you should exercise for at least an hour each day. It doesn’t have to be strenuous and exhausting. It could just be moderate physical activities that you could include in your everyday life. However, if your goal is to shed a few pounds, you must do a higher-level intensive workout. For example, you could take a brisk walk for an hour. Or even jog and set certain intervals to sprint during that hour. As you do all of these, ensure that you are not undergoing any form of pain during your workout session apart from the muscle ache that is bound to occur when you undergo high-intensity workouts.

Keep Track of Daily Calories and Food Consumption

To keep fit, you have to keep track of how many calories you consume or burn in a day. This will go a long way in planning out your physical exercise. This is the reason why bodybuilders’ can amass so much body mass. By simply planning out their meals and taking in more calories than the average person, they can achieve their body goals. On the other hand, if you intend to lose weight because you want a skinnier physique, you will cut down the calories you consume.

Get Sufficient  Sleep

This is very important, but it is very neglected. The fact that many people have busy schedules that cannot be compromised cannot be ignored, but it is extremely important to get sufficient sleep to recharge the body’s batteries. Having an average of six to eight hours of sleep will keep the body going throughout the day, but it is important to take a break and get a nap if you are experiencing fatigue and tiredness. Ensure that you have rested a bit before delving into your routine if you intend to exercise.

Stay Motivated

This is the most important part of your fitness journey. Staying motivated is key to sustaining your fitness journey all year round. If you can stay positive, you will push yourself to get that fit body you’ve always wanted.

Your fitness should be your priority as it determines your general well-being. You owe it to yourself to always stay fit and healthy. Therefore, make your fitness your priority.

Novak Djokovic in Detention Ahead of Visa Appeal Hearing

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Novak Djokovic has been detained in Australia ahead of a court hearing that will determine whether he can stay in the country.

The men’s tennis No 1 faces deportation after his visa was canceled for a second time, with the government labelling him a threat to public health.

Novak Djokovic’s lawyers are appealing against what they called an “irrational” decision, with the hearing set for January 16.

The 34-year-old unvaccinated tennis star is still scheduled to play the Australian Open on January 17 in Melbourne.

If the Serbian were to win the tournament, he would become the most successful men’s tennis player in the history of the sport with 21 major titles.

However, January 16 hearing, which has been scheduled for 09:30 local time, is crucial if Djokovic is to be able to compete just hours later.

If he loses the appeal, the world’s top-ranked men’s tennis player faces deportation and a three-year visa ban.

On January 15, shortly after an online pre-trial hearing, Novak Djokovic returned to the immigration detention hotel where he was held earlier this week. He will remain there until his final appeal on January 16.

Photo Getty Images

Novak Djokovic’s Australia Visa Revoked for Second Time

Novak Djokovic’s Australia Entry Delayed over Visa Issue

Coronavirus: Novak Djokovic Tests Positive for Covid-19

Novak Djokovic’s visa was first revoked shortly after his arrival in Melbourne on January 6, after Australian Border Force officials said he had “failed to provide appropriate evidence” to receive a vaccine exemption.

The tennis star was detained for days at an immigration hotel, before his visa was reinstated by a judge, who ordered his release, ruling that border officials ignored correct procedure when he arrived.

On January 14, Immigration Minister Alex Hawke once again canceled Novak Djokovic’s visa under separate powers in Australia’s Migration Act.

The act allows the minister to deport anyone he deems a potential risk to “the health, safety or good order of the Australian community”.

PM Scott Morrison said the decision followed “careful consideration”.

Alluding to the heavy criticism his government has faced for allowing the unvaccinated player into Australia, Scott Morrison said: “Australians have made many sacrifices during this pandemic, and they rightly expect the result of those sacrifices to be protected.”

Court documents were released on January 15 that showed Alex Hawke chose to cancel Novak Djokovic’s visa because – in his view – the unvaccinated player’s presence could fuel opposition to Covid-19 vaccination.

“[I] consider that his presence may be a risk to the health of the Australian community,” he wrote in a letter to Novak Djokovic and his lawyers, adding that he believed it could also provoke “civil unrest” because he is “a person of influence and status”.

Novak Djokovic’s legal team say their grounds for appeal will centre on the “invalid and illogical” rationale of Alex Hawke’s decision, which lawyer Nick Wood said was based on the threat of “exciting anti-vax sentiment”.

Nick Wood said he believed deporting the Serbian player would potentially do the same thing.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, meanwhile, condemned the Australian minister’s decision, telling Novak Djokovic in an Instagram message: “Novak, we stand by you.”

“If you wanted to ban Novak Djokovic from winning the 10th trophy in Melbourne why didn’t you return him immediately, why didn’t you tell him ‘it is impossible to obtain a visa’?” President Vucic added.

Spanish tennis star Rafael Nadal, one of Novak Djokovic’s biggest rivals, said on January 15: “[The] Australian Open is much more important than any player. If he’s playing finally, okay. If he’s not playing, the Australian Open will be great… with or without him.”

Japanese player Naomi Osaka described the controversy surrounding Novak Djokovic as “an unfortunate situation”.

“He’s such a great player and it’s kind of sad that some people might remember [him] in this way. But I also think it’s… up to the government how Australia is deciding to handle it,” she added.

Novak Djokovic’s Australia Visa Revoked for Second Time

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Australia has canceled Novak Djokovic’s visa for a second time in a row over the tennis star’s right to remain in the country unvaccinated.

The decision on “health and good order” grounds means the 34-year-old Serbian could be deported and get a three-year visa ban.

However, Novak Djokovic can still launch another legal challenge to remain in Australia.

The men’s tennis No 1 was scheduled to play in the Australian Open, which begins on January 17.

Immigration Minister Alex Hawke said in a statement: “Today I exercised my power… to cancel the visa held by Mr. Novak Djokovic on health and good order grounds, on the basis that it was in the public interest to do so.”

PM Scott Morrison said that the decision followed “careful consideration.”

Alluding to the heavy criticism his government has faced for allowing the unvaccinated player into Australia, the prime minister said: “Australians have made many sacrifices during this pandemic, and they rightly expect the result of those sacrifices to be protected.”

Novak Djokovic will meet immigration officials in Melbourne on January 15, and will be allowed to stay in his current accommodation on January 14 – some Australian media had speculated that he may be moved to an immigration detention hotel.

The nine-time Australian Open winner was hoping to defend his title next week, which if he won, would make him the most successful male tennis player in history with a record 21 Grand Slam titles.

Image source: Wikimedia Commons

Novak Djokovic’s Australia Entry Delayed over Visa Issue

US Open 2020: Novak Djokovic Disqualified After Hitting Line Judge with Ball

Coronavirus: Novak Djokovic Tests Positive for Covid-19

For the moment, Novak Djokovic remains in the Australian Open draw and is due to face fellow Serb Miomir Kecmanovic early next week. If he is deported, however, his slot will most likely go to Russian player Andrey Rublev.

Novak Djokovic’s visa was first revoked shortly after his arrival in Melbourne on January 6, after Australian border Force officials said he had “failed to provide appropriate evidence” to receive a vaccine exemption.

The palyer’s initial announcement that he was coming to play in the Open prompted a backlash from some Australians, who have lived under long and strict Covid lockdowns, because it was unclear if he could meet Australia’s strict entry rules. Melbourne in particular was hard bit by lockdowns, enduring 262 days under heavy restrictions last year.

Novak Djokovic was detained for hours at the airport’s immigration control when he first arrived, and then spent days at an immigration hotel. Days later his visa was reinstated by a judge, who ordered his release, ruling that border officials ignored correct procedure when he arrived.

However, on January 14, Immigration Minister Alex Hawke cancelled Djokovic’s visa under separate powers in Australia’s Migration Act.

The act allows the minister to deport anyone he deems a potential risk to “the health, safety or good order of the Australian community”.

However, Novak Djokovic can still appeal this.

It comes after Djokovic addressed allegations that his agent had accidentally made a false declaration on his travel form.

Novak Djokovic also admitted meeting a journalist and having a photoshoot after testing positive for Covid-19.

Full House Actor Bob Saget Dies Suddenly Aged 65

Image source: Wikimedia Commons

Actor and comedian Bob Saget, best known for starring in the sitcom Full House, has died suddenly aged 65, his family has announced.

Bob Saget was found unresponsive by staff in his room at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Orlando, Florida on January 9.

Officers from the Orange County Sheriff’s Department arrived after a call from hotel staff and pronounced him dead at the scene.

The exact details surrounding his death remain unclear.

However, in a short statement posted to Twitter, the Sheriff’s Department said that detectives had found no signs of foul play or drug use during initial enquiries.

Bob Saget’s family said in a statement: “We are devastated to confirm that our beloved Bob passed away today.

“He was everything to us and we want you to know how much he loved his fans, performing live and bringing people from all walks of life together with laughter.”

Bob Saget, a veteran stand-up comedian, had just started a new comedy tour across the US, performing as recently as January 8 in the city of Jacksonville, Florida.

After the show he had expressed his joy at being back on stage in a post on his Instagram page, telling fans that he was “happily addicted” to his craft.

“I’m back in comedy like I was when I was 26. I guess I’m finding my new voice and loving every moment of it,” he said.

Fuller House: Ashley and Mary-Kate Olsen Not Returning for Full House Revival

Although Bob Saget was idolized by many comedians for his profane and often cutting act, he was best known for his role in the sitcom, Full House, where he starred alongside the actors John Stamos and fellow comic Dave Coulier.

He won plaudits for his portrayal of Danny Tanner, a widowed father of three daughters, playing the role from 1987 to 1995.

Bob Saget reprised the role in 2016 when Netflix revived the program for a further five seasons.

In more recent years he found fame among younger generations as the narrator of the hit show How I Met Your Mother and for his guest stints as a highly fictionalized version of himself in the TV series, Entourage.

John Stamos, who worked with Bob Saget on Full House and Fuller House tweeted: “I am broken. I am gutted.  I am in complete and utter shock.  I will never ever have another friend like him.  I love you so much Bobby.”

Candace Cameron Bure remembered Bob Saget, who played her father on Full House, writing on Twitter: “I don’t know what to say . I have no words. Bob was one of the best humans beings I’ve ever known in my life. I loved him so much.”

Golden Globes 2022: Full List of Winners and Nominees

Here is the full list of winners and nominees at the Golden Globe Awards, which were announced at a pared-down ceremony in Los Angeles on January 9.

The ceremony honoring the best film and TV shows of the past year was not televised following controversy surrounding the organization behind the event, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA).

Best motion picture – drama

  • Belfast
  • Coda
  • Dune
  • King Richard
  • WINNER: The Power of the Dog

Best motion picture – musical or comedy

  • Cyrano
  • Don’t Look Up
  • Licorice Pizza
  • Tick, Tick … Boom!
  • WINNER: West Side Story

Best actress in a motion picture – drama

  • Jessica Chastain, The Eyes of Tammy Faye
  • Olivia Colman, The Lost Daughter
  • WINNER: Nicole Kidman, Being the Ricardos
  • Lady Gaga, House of Gucci
  • Kristen Stewart, Spencer

Best actor in a motion picture – drama

  • Mahershala Ali, Swan Song
  • Javier Bardem, Being the Ricardos
  • Benedict Cumberbatch, The Power of the Dog
  • WINNER: Will Smith, King Richard
  • Denzel Washington, The Tragedy of Macbeth

Best actress in a motion picture – musical or comedy

  • Marion Cotillard, Annette
  • Alana Haim, Licorice Pizza
  • Jennifer Lawrence, Don’t Look Up
  • Emma Stone, Cruella
  • WINNER: Rachel Zegler, West Side Story

Best actor in a motion picture – musical or comedy

  • Leonardo DiCaprio, Don’t Look Up
  • Peter Dinklage, Cyrano
  • WINNER: Andrew Garfield, Tick, Tick … Boom!
  • Cooper Hoffman, Licorice Pizza
  • Anthony Ramos, In the Heights

Best supporting actress in any motion picture

  • Caitríona Balfe, Belfast
  • WINNER: Ariana DeBose, West Side Story
  • Kirsten Dunst, The Power of the Dog
  • Aunjanue Ellis, King Richard
  • Ruth Negga, Passing

Best supporting actor in any motion picture

  • Ben Affleck, The Tender Bar
  • Jamie Dornan, Belfast
  • Ciarán Hinds, Belfast
  • Troy Kotsur, CODA
  • WINNER: Kodi Smit-McPhee, The Power of the Dog

Best director – motion picture

  • Kenneth Branagh, Belfast
  • WINNER: Jane Campion, The Power of the Dog
  • Maggie Gyllenhaal, The Lost Daughter
  • Steven Spielberg, West Side Story
  • Denis Villeneuve, Dune

Best screenplay – motion picture

  • Paul Thomas Anderson, Licorice Pizza
  • WINNER: Kenneth Branagh, Belfast
  • Jane Campion, The Power of the Dog
  • Adam McKay, Don’t Look Up
  • Aaron Sorkin, Being the Ricardos

Best motion picture – animated

  • WINNER: Encanto
  • Flee
  • Luca
  • My Sunny Maad
  • Raya and the Last Dragon

Best motion picture – foreign language

  • Compartment No. 6
  • WINNER: Drive My Car
  • The Hand of God
  • A Hero
  • Parallel Mothers

Best original score – motion picture

  • The French Dispatch, Alexandre Desplat
  • Encanto, Germaine Franco
  • The Power of the Dog, Jonny Greenwood
  • Parallel Mothers, Alberto Iglesias
  • WINNER: Dune, Hans Zimmer

Best original song – motion picture

  • Be Alive from King Richard, by Beyoncé Knowles-Carter and Dixson
  • Dos Orugitas from Encanto, by Lin-Manuel Miranda
  • Down to Joy from Belfast, by Van Morrison
  • Here I Am (Singing My Way Home) from Respect, by Jamie Alexander Hartman, Jennifer Hudson and Carole King
  • WINNER: No Time to Die from No Time to Die, by Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell

Best TV series – drama

  • Lupin
  • The Morning Show
  • Post
  • Squid Game
  • WINNER: Succession

Best actress in a drama series

  • Uzo Aduba, In Treatment
  • Jennifer Aniston, The Morning Show
  • Christine Baranski, The Good Fight
  • Elisabeth Moss, The Handmaid’s Tale
  • WINNER: MJ Rodriguez, Pose

Best actor in a drama series

  • Brian Cox, Succession
  • Lee Jung-jae, Squid Game
  • Billy Porter, Pose
  • WINNER: Jeremy Strong, Succession
  • Omar Sy, Lupin

Best TV series – musical or comedy

  • The Great
  • WINNER: Hacks
  • Only Murders in the Building
  • Reservation Dogs
  • Ted Lasso

Best actress in a TV series – musical or comedy

  • Hannah Einbinder, Hacks
  • Elle Fanning, The Great
  • Issa Rae, Insecure
  • Tracee Ellis Ross, Black-ish
  • WINNER: Jean Smart, Hacks

Best actor in a TV series – musical or comedy

  • Anthony Anderson, Black-ish
  • Nicholas Hoult, The Great
  • Steve Martin, Only Murders in the Building
  • Martin Short, Only Murders in the Building
  • WINNER: Jason Sudeikis, Ted Lasso

Best limited series or TV movie

  • Dopesick
  • Impeachment: American Crime Story
  • Maid
  • Mare of Easttown
  • WINNER: The Underground Railroad

Best actress in a limited series or TV movie

  • Jessica Chastain, Scenes From a Marriage
  • Cynthia Erivo, Genius: Aretha
  • Elizabeth Olsen, WandaVision
  • Margaret Qualley, Maid
  • WINNER: Kate Winslet, Mare of Easttown

Best actor in a limited series or TV movie

  • Paul Bettany, WandaVision
  • Oscar Isaac, Scenes From a Marriage
  • WINNER: Michael Keaton, Dopesick
  • Ewan McGregor, Halston
  • Tahar Rahim, The Serpent

Best supporting actress in a series, limited series or TV movie

  • Jennifer Coolidge, White Lotus
  • Kaitlyn Dever, Dopesick
  • Andie MacDowell, Maid
  • WINNER: Sarah Snook, Succession
  • Hannah Waddingham, Ted Lasso

Best supporting actor in a series, limited series or TV movie

  • Billy Crudup, The Morning Show
  • Kieran Culkin, Succession
  • Mark Duplass, The Morning Show
  • Brett Goldstein, Ted Lasso
  • WINNER: O Yeong-su, Squid Game

Two Innovative Ways to Work for Yourself in 2022

The COVID pandemic has caused many of us to rethink our careers, whether because we’ve changed our priorities or because our jobs may not be there for us anymore. Thankfully, there are more ways to work for yourself now than perhaps at any other time. Here are two innovative ideas for how to work for yourself in 2022.

Consider a Career in Real Estate

One unexpected development in the past couple of years has been the extraordinary boom in real estate. Home values have gone up tremendously all the way across the United States. In many neighborhoods, houses are being sold almost as soon as they are listed.

This trend has created a highly lucrative career for real estate agents. More people may be seeking out agents than previously since houses sell so quickly. Home seekers struggle to find the house they want before it is already purchased by somebody else.

By using quality real estate lead generation tools like the one provided by Haines, you can find essential homeowner and property information and increase your leads capacity, enabling you to make a great living with a career working for yourself in real estate.

Provide Child or Pet Care

Both child and pet care are booming industries right now. Many parents are reticent to send their children to daycare where they may be exposed to the COVID virus, which means that individual caretakers or caretakers who provide daycare services for only a couple of children at a time are in hot demand. With a few simple qualifications like CPR training and experience working with kids, you can set yourself up to make a great living in the comfort of your own home or in client homes looking after children.

Many more people also became pet owners in the past couple of years as loneliness, boredom, and more time spent at home drove people to purchase or adopt pets. As those new pet owners need to return to work, they may be finding that they need help taking care of their pets. This can be a great opportunity for you to launch a career taking care of other people’s pets, whether you offer care in your home, in the client’s home, or take dogs for walks.

Work for Yourself in 2022

Do you have dreams of a fulfilling career in which you are your own boss? There may never have been a better time to go it alone than now. Whether you’re interested in a career in real estate or you’d like to take care of children or pets, 2022 is a great year to get started in these exciting careers.

5 Reasons Why iPhone Owners Should Upgrade Their Devices to iOS 15

Every September, Apple announces a new, major version of its iOS operating system for iPhones – and, true to form, Apple made iOS 15 available for download on 20th September.

However, though the software is compatible with all iPhones already running iOS 14, iPhone users have seemingly not taken to iOS 15 quite so eagerly. One MacRumors report suggests that iOS 15 reached about a fifth of supported iPhones by the end of September – but, if you haven’t yet upgraded to iOS 15, the following exciting additions it brings could force your hand.

More Zoom-like FaceTime calls

Apple has brought FaceTime closer to parity with Zoom by letting users join FaceTime video calls from any device, not just Apple ones, on the web.

The Portrait mode enabling users to blur the background of a subject in photography – while keeping the subject itself looking crisp – has also been added to FaceTime, where Ars Technica’s Samuel Axon says “it’s dramatically better-looking than the background-blurring effect in Zoom”.

More synchronicity between Messages and other apps

Imagine how convenient it would be if, when a friend or family member uses Messages to show you photographic, web, news, music, podcast or TV content, you could quickly insert it into a particular Apple app? That’s what the new Shared with You feature lets you do.

In Apple apps like Photos, Safari, News, Music, Podcasts and TV, the feature also automatically surfaces such content your Messages contacts have shared in that app.

Holding a Smartphone

It’s easier to stay ‘in the zone’ with Focus notifications

Though notifications are supposed to be useful, they can – in practice – distract you for insufficiently good reason. This dilemma has led Apple to introduce Focus, where users can filter notifications so that only the most timely and relevant ones get through.

There are some ready-made filters, such as the Work Focus, which limits notifications to those from co-workers and work-oriented apps, and the Fitness Focus for preventing unhelpful notifications when you are engaged in a workout.

The Live Text feature makes photographed text interactive

Text that doesn’t react in any way when you tap a photo of it is sooo iOS 14. Once you’ve installed iOS 15, you will be able to interact with text in photos you view anywhere on your iPhone – including in the Photos app, in social media apps and even on the web.

Through tapping that text, you could – for example – copy, paste or translate. You could tap a photographed phone number to ring it or the image of a URL to load the webpage in question.  

An intuitive – but optional – redesign for Safari

Safari’s search and address bar have been switched from the top to the bottom of the interface, making the app easier to use while holding the device with one hand.

While the old Safari design is still available in iOS 15, you could find adjusting to the new design almost as useful a step as buying one of the relatively recent iPhones compatible with an especially wide range of iOS 15 features.