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As soon as Oracle announced they were offering OpenOffice.org to The Apache Software Foundation, there went up a collective sigh of relief from the FOSS community. Some, no doubt, would have preferred the project to be turned over to the folks at The Document Foundation, whose members had worked with the code for the better part of a decade and who'd already done a bang-up job improving OOo with their fork LibreOffice, but you don't always get what you want, and Apache is an open source organization not lacking in credibility. At least now OpenOffice is out of the hands of Larry Ellison, who is a friend to open source the same way that a fox is a friend to a chicken.
Along with that sigh of relief, however, red flags began to fly in the FOSS blogosphere because IBM had a hand in Oracle's decision. Experience has taught open sourcers to be suspicious, and there was plenty of fodder here to make one wary of Big Blue's possible motives, mostly revolving around IBM Lotus Symphony, the freeware suite that utilizes OpenOffice code. Since the permissive open source Apache License allows a commingling with proprietary code in a way strictly forbidden by the GPL and its derivatives, it was feared that OOo would be neglected as IBM and Oracle focused their efforts on proprietary add-ons to create non-free versions of OpenOffice.
This assumption was problematic. IBM has a history of being a pretty good FOSS player, having dropped more than a billion dollars into Linux development and who-knows-how-many bucks into other open source projects. Besides, it doesn't matter. All indications are that development at LibreOffice, licensed under the LGPLv3, will quickly leave OOo in the dust, even if development does continue with the free version of OpenOffice.
However, when IBM announced last Wednesday that they were not only lining-up behind OpenOffice, but were throwing the code from Symphony into Apache's lap and would be helping to fold some of it into OOo, it might have been easy to assume that predictions were coming true, that Oracle and IBM were teaming up to slap the FOSS community in the face.
You know what they say about assumptions.
I very certainly could be wrong, but it appears to me that this is about the the best possible move IBM could make. It's good for their own interests, good for FOSS and good for the casual computer user who only wants to be able to write a term paper and/or balance a checkbook.
When the OpenOffice/LibreOffice fork occurred last September, IBM was noticeably MIA, even as practically every important FOSS player was bending over backwards to come-out in support of The Document Foundation. Novell, Red Hat, Canonical and Google immediately jumped on board, and soon afterward nearly all Linux distros dropped OpenOffice to proclaim LibreOffice as the new standard bearer open source office productivity suite.
IBM was about the only exception.
Big Blue was in what I imagine to be a very uncomfortable position. They sell servers almost exclusively to businesses, many of which are purchased to run Oracle's stack. For obvious reasons, pissing Ellison off by publicly choosing LibreOffice over OpenOffice wouldn't be a good business move. Falling in line to support OOo would seem to be the only next move they could make. Quite frankly, it seems to be a move that will benefit everybody.
True, if they'd thrown their lot in with The Document Foundation they would've become instant open source heroes. Just as true however, by supporting OpenOffice instead, and by making the Symphony code available under the Apache license, they are actually maximizing the amount of support they're giving to the open source community as a whole, even if it doesn't make them popular heroes like Pancho and Lefty. The Apache License will allow LibreOffice to use the code and relicense it under the LGPL. If IBM had taken the other route, giving Symphony to The Document Foundation, OpenOffice would not be able to benefit from the Symphony code, only LibreOffice would gain.
This move helps both projects. It also allows IBM to keep things cool with Oracle, which is necessary for their business, and it keeps Symphony under a license that allows them to use practically any proprietary add-on they want, which is good for them even if you and I have mixed feelings about it. In other words, it would seem to be a win-win solution.
Unless they do something that proves me wrong, I'm impressed with how IBM has handled this.
Christine Hall has been a journalist since 1971. In 2001, she began writing a weekly consumer computer column and started covering Linux and FOSS in 2002 after making the switch to GNU/Linux. Follow her on Twitter: @BrideOfLinux


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Injustice 2
continues the epic cinematic story introduced in Injustice : Gods Among Us as Batman and his allies work towards putting the pieces of society back together while struggling against those who want to restore Superman's regime. In the midst of the chaos, a new threat appears that will put Earth's existence at risk. Players can play from the biggest DC roster ever offered in a fighting game, from classic fan favourites such as Batman, Superman, Supergirl and Aquaman, to astonishing new villains like Atrocitus and Gorilla Grodd. Battles will take place across arenas that have evolved in scale and span across iconic locations such as Metropolis, Gotham City and Atlantis.

subset: commoncrawl


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Categories : reviewLeave a comment
Origin One and the story of the Origin of the Addict
Origin One where my addiction for fountain pens seeks its final solace I am a self-confessed fountain pen addict. Addiction, that borders on penophilia. Countless well-wishers have suggested that I seek professional help. Friends and relatives shun me. Colleagues nod disinterestedly in stoic silence every time I accost them with


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Leopoldo López is a rock star to Venezuelans living in the United States. But in west Caracas he's the rich guy. And those contrasting images could affect the outcome of street protests playing out in Venezuela right now.
But first the obvious: This week's arrest of López, a top Venezuela opposition leader, is a reminder that President Nicolás Maduro's credibility is plummeting during the anti-government demonstrations that have swept his country since Feb. 12.
Maduro calls it all a "fascist coup plot." But the largely student protests that began in a number of cities last week are about one thing: what protesters call the incompetent and authoritarian response of Maduro's socialist administration to a raft of crises. The oil-rich nation is being rocked by high inflation, chronic shortages of goods and South America's worst violent crime.
As of Friday, at least six people had been killed in the unrest, among them a 22-year-old beauty-pageant queen who was shot in the head on Wednesday. In almost every case, those responsible have not been identified – but brutality by government security forces and pro-government citizen militias known as colectivos have come under heavy scrutiny, as have the actions of more radical protesters.
Yet Maduro decided López was among the killers – seemingly on the basis of little more than López's backing of the protests. So he had López arrested for murder and terrorism on Tuesday — though the murder charge was dropped on Thursday.
President Obama and other world leaders have called on Maduro to release López. But the more important question isn't whether Obama is defending López. As he was being hauled away, López said he hoped his arrest would "wake up a people." Yet a larger groundswell of Venezuelans hasn't seemed to rally around him – and therein lies a big problem for the opposition if not the protests.
Image Problem
López, fairly or not, has his own image problem – that of a sifrino, or yuppie. The Harvard-educated former mayor of Caracas' Chacao district is certainly popular and passionate.
But his appeal fails to reach far enough beyond well-heeled turf like Chacao. He isn't widely embraced in the kind of working-class strongholds – Maduro's base – that the opposition needs to win over if it's going to alter Venezuela's starkly divided political math. That's especially true since the military appears to have Maduro's back.
"These protests are important for getting the regime to face Venezuela's crises, but they're not going to provoke the overthrow of that regime," said Carlos Romero, an independent political analyst at the Central University of Caracas. "López is well known and well supported by the middle class, but people refuse to follow him on the poor side of town."
And that in turn is a big reason Venezuela's opposition parties have balked at making López their standard bearer. They did not select him as their unity candidate in 2012 against then President Hugo Chávez, the socialist firebrand who died last year, or against Maduro in the special 2013 election to succeed Chávez.
They chose instead Henrique Capriles, who as governor of Miranda state had demonstrated more talent at poaching votes from Chávez's United Socialist Party (PSUV, a.k.a the Chavistas). And it seemed to pay off in the special election, which Capriles just narrowly lost.
Since then, Maduro has poured out populist largesse – including a decree to slash prices on consumer goods just before last December's local elections – in an attempt to regain his and the Chavistas' political footing.
No one is denying López's brass, although even U.S. diplomats have complained that he can be a bit of an egotistical maverick. But when I called opposition leaders in Caracas' poorer barrios this week, I asked them why López's bogus arrest hasn't resulted in larger anti-government backlash.
Saverio Vivas, an erstwhile socialist turned opposition coordinator in Catia – a cradle of Chavismo – said he too is outraged by the López travesty. Nonetheless, he admitted he'd have a hard time calling even opposition supporters into Catia's streets to rally around López.
Said Vivas, who is a Capriles supporter: "This is where you see the gap between the east side of Caracas," including affluent districts like Chacao, "and the west side," or poorer zones like Catia. "It's hard for people here to identify with Leopoldo."
If so, the best that voters on the east side can hope for is that Venezuela's epic mess eventually makes it harder for voters on the west side to identify with Maduro.
Copyright 2021 WLRN 91.3 FM. To see more, visit WLRN 91.3 FM.


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MILENA STENCILS are made by professional face painter, Milena Potekhina from Russia.
They are designed to suit all ages with so many designs available, from butterflies to crown designs, you can mix and match to create endless designs.
Each stencil is 6.5cm x 12cm
Made from soft thin and flexible 0.15mm thick Mylar
Reusable ✓ Face Paint Compatible ✓ Airbrush Compatible ✓ Easy to Clean ✓
MILENA STENCILS | Face Painting Stencil - Fairy Hands D12


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REDMOND, Wash. — April 10, 2013 — Microsoft Corp. today announced that the power and automation technology company ABB will deploy Microsoft Office 365 and Yammer to its employees worldwide.
With about 145,000 employees in 100 countries, ABB is transitioning from multiple IT collaboration and messaging solutions to Office 365 to provide a single platform for productivity, communication, collaboration and enterprise social in the cloud.
"Office 365 and Yammer will enable us to transform communication and collaboration among our employees, surfacing the best and most innovative ideas across the organization," said Andy Tidd, chief information officer at ABB Group.
Microsoft's Chief Operating Officer Kevin Turner emphasizes: "Strong internal communications are the lifeblood of a company's success, and ABB's decision as a global technology leader to deploy Office 365 and Yammer will help it realize its vision for empowering employees with new ways of working via enterprise social and the cloud. When you remove barriers to productivity and innovation and enable employees to collaborate and communicate even more freely and seamlessly across organizational and geographical boundaries, incredible things happen."
Office 365 integrates a number of typical functionalities that employees use in their daily work. The mail service works seamlessly with the online meeting and videoconferencing service. Office 365 simplifies online meetings, and in large organizations such as ABB that can typically reduce travel costs by 15 to 20 percent.
ABB is rapidly embracing enterprise social networking solutions, implementing Yammer as its companywide platform to increase collaboration and knowledge sharing across the organization. ABB also plans to take full advantage of the planned integration between Office 365 and Yammer.
About ABB
ABB (http://www.abb.com) is a leader in power and automation technologies that enable utility and industry customers to improve their performance while lowering environmental impact. The ABB Group of companies operates in around 100 countries and employs about 145,000 people. The company invests more than $1.3 billion annually in research and development. In November 2012, ABB announced it had developed the first hybrid breaker for high-voltage direct current, enabling a new generation of super transmission grids. (http://new.abb.com/about/hvdc-grid).
About Yammer
Yammer (www.yammer.com) is a best-in-class Enterprise Social Network used by more than 200,000 organizations worldwide — including 85 percent of the Fortune 500 — to foster team collaboration, empower employees, drive business agility and promote organizational connectedness. Yammer's freemium business model lets customers see the value of Yammer before upgrading to the premium offering. Founded in 2008, Yammer is now part of the Microsoft Office Division.
About Microsoft
Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq "MSFT") is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.
Note to editors: For more information, news and perspectives from Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft News Center at http://www.microsoft.com/news. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft's Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed at http://www.microsoft.com/news/contactpr.mspx.


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Awareness Watch Talk Show for Wednesday January 10, 2017 at 2:00pm EST – Information Quality Resources 2018
This program will be featuring my recently updated white paper Information Quality Resources 2018. We will be highlighting the latest and greatest resources and sources covering information quality sources, search engines, subject directories, articles, guides and tracers….literally everything on the Internet covering INFORMATION QUALITY!! We will also discussing my latest freely available Awareness Watch Newsletter V16N1 January 2018 featuring Open Educational Resources (OER)Sources 2018 as well as my freely available January 2018 Zillman Columns highlighting Information Quality Determination 2018 – Resources and Tools. You may call in to ask your questions at (718)508-9839. The show is live and thirty minutes in length starting at 2:00pm EST on Wednesday, January 10, 2017 and then archived for easy review and access. Listen, Call and Enjoy….


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Earlier this week, the FBI posted a video on their website. It's a 25-minute movie called Game of Pawns, based on the true story of Glenn Shriver, an American college student who was recruited as a spy by the Chinese government.
According to the FBI's website, the film is aimed at college students about to study abroad themselves. The message is obvious: Don't be a spy. The rationale is that a dramatic movie will capture young people's attention better than public service announcements or PowerPoint.
In recent years, the FBI has been making movies to get their message across — both to the general public and their own agents. In fact, the FBI spends between $500,000 and $800,000 each year on videos for training and development.
"They really demand accuracy," says Sean Paul Murphy, the film's screenwriter. He tells NPR's Arun Rath "they want something that is as close to reality as possible."
When it came to actually writing the script, Murphy says FBI agents were far easier to work with than Hollywood types.
"Generally, everybody's on the same page, and you're not being pulled in different directions by people's egos. On this, everyone was pulling in the same direction."
Murphy has written movies for two other FBI films. Betrayed, his first film, is about an inside threat in the intelligence community. His other film, called Company Man, is about selling trade secrets to foreign powers. Both are short, dramatic narratives that emphasize the importance of national security.
In the week since its release, Game of Pawns has generated a lot of Internet ire and snark. Critics call it cheesy and cliche.
"I think it actually has very decent production values," Murphy says. "Some people were complaining about cliche dialogue, and some of the things they cited as examples were things that Glenn had actually said in the interviews."
Shriver himself cooperated extensively with the FBI in the making of Game of Pawns. Murphy says Shriver was pleased with the final result.
"He didn't like the way his father was presented," Murphy says, "but other than that, he had no complaint that I'm aware of."
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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Physical therapists work in a variety of settings including skilled nursing facilities, hospitals, rehabilitation centers, schools, outpatient clinics, and fitness centers. A physical therapists (PT) is an educated, licensed healthcare professional who works with patients to restore or improve mobility, reduce pain and lessen the need for long-term prescription medications. It is common for athletes or those recovering from surgery to seek care from a physical therapist, but the aging process in and of itself can impair one's function, creating the need for physical therapy. Physical therapy can also be used to treat specific conditions effecting the elderly such as: Parkinson's, stroke, Alzheimer's, incontinence, and COPD.
According to the CDC, falls are the leading cause of injury and death in the elderly population. "Older adult falls are increasing and, sadly, often herald the end of independence," said CDC Director Tom Frieden, M.D., M.P.H. In the United States, more than one third of those age 65 and older fall each year.
Physical therapists work with patients through exercises and balance training to help increase balance and strength and reduce fall risk. They may recommend a cane or walker and instruct the patient on how to use the aid safely and properly as the misuse of these aids only increases fall risk.
According to the National Council on Aging (NCOA), the following are signs that it may be time for your aging loved one to see a physical therapist:
- Holding onto walls, furniture or someone else when walking
- Appearing to have difficulty walking
- Appearing to have difficulty arising from a chair
Physical therapists not only help improve their patients' physical abilities, but they provide education. For example, a physical therapist may give tips and help one make his or her home as safe as possible to reduce fall risk.
Keep this in mind when considering moving your loved one into an assisted living community or skilled nursing facility. These senior living communities are regulated and should be a safe environment that include the following fall-prevention features: free of fall hazards, good lighting, grab bars in the bathrooms, and emergency call-alert systems.
Although arthritis is not a disease of old age, the risk of arthritis increases with age. Almost 50 percent of people over the age of 65 have arthritis. Since physical therapists treat and help prevent issues that limit the body's ability to function in daily life, they are able to assist in the treatment of arthritis.
"Goals of physical therapy in arthritis include improving the mobility and restoring the use of affected joints, increasing strength to support the joints, and maintaining fitness and the ability to perform daily activities." – arthritis.org
Recent studies conducted by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) show that more than half of older adults surveyed said they've experienced inconveniencing pain within the last month. According to this assessment, bothersome pain in multiple locations is associated with decreased physical activity. Incorporating even light exercise into an elderly person's pain management program can create positive benefits.
Treating pain in seniors is more complicated since 75% of those 65 years and older have two or more chronic conditions, and they are at higher risk of experiencing adverse drug events due to changes that accompany aging; therefore, physical therapy is a good pain management treatment option.
According to The American Physical Therapy Association, patients should choose physical therapy when:
- Pain lasts 90 days: This is when pain is considered "chronic."
- Opioids are prescribed for pain: The CDC advises the use of physical therapy even if taking opioids for pain relief since physical therapy, and other non-drug approaches, offers a safer way to treat chronic pain.
- Pain or functionality problems are in the lower back, hip or knee: Physical therapy exercise programs are a supported treatment for such injuries.
- Patient wants to treat the pain rather than mask it: Opioids dull the pain response, eventually masking the pain. Physical therapists treat pain with exercise and other mobility practices to improve quality of life.
If you or a loved one are seeking physical therapy, speak with your healthcare provider or senior living community nurse. Physical therapy allows you to actively participate in your recovery and enjoy a team atmosphere where your PT or PTA is cheering you on as you maximize your movement.
Rita H., physical therapy patient at Oak Manor Senior Living Community, says it makes her feel good that she's trying to get better. She enjoys actively participating in her treatment and says she will do whatever her PT instructs, no matter how long it takes, because she's "for it." She describes the treatment as a physical and mental experience, since her PT encourages her along the way and shows patience as Rita pushes past mental blocks to achieve her goal, maximizing her functionality and movement.
Not only is it rewarding for patients receiving treatment, but many PTs and PTAs express a genuine love for the career. Georgette D., PT at Wright's Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center says she loves working with the senior population, because it reminds her of her parents which is inspiring. She says she loves her patients more than the job itself.
"I can make a dramatic difference in not only the lives of my patients, but also their family members or anyone who cares for them," said Justin C., PT at Addington Place at College Harbor Senior Living Community.
For more information on how to regain yours or your loved one's independence through physical therapy, speak with your healthcare provider, or contact a local skilled nursing and rehabilitation center.
Hidden Lakes Senior Living Community offers senior living conveniences and care within a setting that establishes a true feeling of home and security for residents. As a full continuum of care community, Hidden Lakes offers Independent Living, Assisted Living, Rehabilitation, and long-term nursing care all within beautifully shaded 23-acres of land. Learn more today: (772) 567-5248. 31006 33rd Street Vero Beach, Florida 32960
By Erinn Scheib, KR Management, LLC
Since 2002, KR Management, LLC has been developing and managing senior living communities to include Independent Living, Assisted Living and Skilled Nursing Facilities.


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That's it! It's official: Paris will host the 2024 Olympics, games which we hope will be innovative, welcoming, generous, and environmentally conscious...We can see it already. But what exactly would we see if we could travel 7 years forward in time and catch a glimpse of the Olympic village before anyone else?
What's going on in Paris? Watched by the foodies indulging at Ladurée, the Champs Elysée has all of a sudden been transformed into a gigantic cycle track. The venerable Champs de Mars looks like a beach volleyball court. And beneath the magnificent and newly restored glass roof of the Grand Palais, two fencers are standing ready en garde.
Horse Race at the Château de Versailles
The Eiffel Tower is hosting the triathlon, and the Seine itself serves as both a race course and an Olympics pool. A few miles away at Versailles, a horse race is underway, and the horses and riders seem as if they belong in its French gardens.
Get ready to live the Olympics
Welcome to summer 2024. No, it itsn't a dream: the whole of Paris is part of the Olympic Games. France wants this Olympiad to be innovative and giving, the watchwords sharing and sustainability. But most of all, France wants the games to take place in the heart of the city, its monuments, its history, and its future. And you've just seen it before anyone else...


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JOLIET, Ill. — Matt Kenseth needed a nap.
After NASCAR red-flagged Sunday's Geico 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at Chicagoland Speedway, Kenseth touched based with crew chief Jason Ratcliff and returned to his motor home to wait out a rain delay that ultimately exceeded five hours.
Spending time with family — wife Katie and daughters Kaylin and Grace — helped pass the time.
"I hung out with Jason for a little bit, and then I went back to the motor home and hung out with Katie and the girls and Katie's mom and dad," Kenseth told Steve Richards of Performance Racing Network after the race. "I watched some football and needed a nap, so I lay down on the floor, and Grace and Kaylin jumped on top of me and were yelling in my ears as loud as they could.
"I still fell asleep for 15 minutes, and when I woke up, I felt like a million bucks. I had a couple pieces of pizza, and I was ready to go."
If truth be told, Kenseth was hoping the race wouldn't resume on Sunday night. His car had worked optimally under hotter conditions before the rain delay, and Kenseth wasn't sure he could sustain the performance on a faster track that had cooled almost 20 degrees during the hiatus.
"It's kind of ironic, because after the rain delay, I told Jason, I said, 'Man, I hope it rains enough to where we've got to race (Monday) in the sun,' because I really liked how the way my car felt when we got rubber on the track and the pace slowed down.
"When the pace was really fast, I didn't think we had the best car, but when the pace slowed up, I thought we were pretty good at the end of a run. Obviously, I was wrong again…"
Kenseth was leading when the rains came, and he was leading when the race ended under the lights. The victory was his sixth of the year, a single-season high-water mark for the 41-year-old driver, and tops in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series.
A man of wry, self-deprecating humor, simple tastes and a relentless work ethic, Kenseth moved to Joe Gibbs Racing at the end of the 2012 season after 13 full seasons with Roush Fenway Racing. His impact was immediate and powerful.
Kenseth won three of the first 11 races this year, all at high-speed tracks — Las Vegas, Kansas and Darlington. The driver Kenseth replaced in the No. 20 Toyota, Joey Logano, now 23, was the youngest of the Gibbs drivers. Kenseth arrived as the senior member of a team that includes Kyle Busch and Denny Hamlin.
Logano needed a change of scenery to nurture his own formidable talent, and he found a comfortable home at Penske Racing. Kenseth, meanwhile, has brought stability, a championship resume and an innate feel for the setups of his cars to a Gibbs organization that welcomed him as a leader.
The serendipitous pairing of Kenseth and Ratcliff, one of the top young talents in the garage, has created a whole greater than the sum of the parts.
Busch has won four races this year, after visiting Victory Lane but once in 2012, when he narrowly missed the Chase. Hamlin was off to a strong start before a fractured vertebra suffered at Fontana, Calif., in late March sidelined him for four races and took the wind out of a promising season.
But, clearly, Kenseth is the driver at the top of the pyramid.
"This has been an unbelievable, crazy season, to be honest with you," Kenseth said. "This is the best season I've ever had, and we've still got nine weeks left.
"I'm going to enjoy it (Sunday) night, then get to the shop (Monday), work on New Hampshire, take it one week at a time and see what we can do.
"Obviously, I've got the race team and the equipment to do it, but a lot of things have to go right to be in contention for a championship — and nine races (to go) is a lot of races."
- NASCAR to debut new short track package at Phoenix - February 28, 2023
- The Wrench Who Stole Racing - December 16, 2022
- Matt DiBenedetto's excellent run comes to abrupt, violent end - February 17, 2019


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King's Harmonica Quintet
We are a unique group of 5 amateur harmonica players, trying to push the limit of the art of harmonica playing through the performance of string quartets and classical ensemble works arranged for 5 harmonicas by ourselves as well as encouraging composition of original works for harmonica ensemble and other musical instruments.
Please explore this site to learn more about what we are doing and how we sound. If you have a question about us, please check the Frequently Asked Questions section first. We would be grateful if you can tell us what you think about us and about the development of the art of harmonica playing in general, by sending us a email at firstname.lastname@example.com. Enjoy!
感謝您光臨英皇口琴五重奏的網站。請將意見送往 firstname.lastname@example.com。


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Little Critterz® takes inspiration from the diversity of the animal world and the wonderment both children and adults can feel when encountering the natural world for the first time; reminding us to protect of the planet's amazing creatures.
Their porcelain miniatures are crafted in the lush mountains of Thailand where people have cared for and loved animals since the beginning of their national story. Each figurine is hand crafted and hand painted by skilled artisans using brushes only a few hairs thick with a touch of whimsy and no two are exactly alike.
- Material: Porcelain
- Approx. Measurement: 2.5" x 2" x 1.2"
- Sku: R127


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★ One (1) sheet of Squidge Has Afternoon Tea planner stickers ★
- Printed on our premium matte sticker paper
- Sheets are approximately 8.75cm x 11cm
- The top 2 rows of stickers are approx. 1.6cm tall, and the bottom rows are approx. 1.3cm tall
- These stickers are intended for use in planners, journals, scrapbooks etc, therefore are not suitable for outdoor use, and are not waterproof.
- Our stickers are also designed to be permanent, so cannot be removed or repositioned.
- Your item will not contain our watermark.
★ Extra Information and Disclaimers ★
- Due to a wide variety of monitor settings, the colours you see on your screen may vary slightly from the printed colour. However we always try to make sure the products are shown as accurately as possible.
- All of our designs are owned by StickWithThePlanCo and are intended for personal use only, and not to be copied, resold, or redistributed.
- Buyers are responsible for reading all of our shop policies and FAQ's before making a purchase.
- Our current processing times are always listed in the banner at the top of the screen


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I spent my Galentine's Day weekend in my favorite place on earth: MALIBU. I'm insanely lucky to have one of my dearest gal pals there with a place on the beach, which = a getaway whenever I need it. I remember thinking before I had ever ventured to this magical, beachy, laid-back fairy wonderland that it would be pretentious and snooty (*cough* like a lot of LA), but to me it feels just the opposite. EVERYONE is cheerful and friendly; even chatty. No one ever seems to be in a hurry. Pups splash around in the surf with no leashes in sight. Sunlight dances on the water like diamonds. EVERYTHING is beautiful. Everyone's feet are sandy. The waves are louder than anywhere else I've ever been and lull you into a dazed state of relaxation during the day, then rock you to sleep at night. Surfers are in silhouette at dawn and dusk. It is heaven. Here's my weekend, in pics:
Gus, being a great house guest, waking up Aunt Katie.
High-larious #truth on Valentine's Day morning.
Let's go, woman!
Even Gus is in a zen place.
Sea glass hunting
Trying to get a good pic with this monster before I went to meet another friend for lunch at Duke's.
It's just not ugly here.
He doesn't think so either. Slash that's some amazing bed head.
What my Saturday looked like… outside of lunch, a 6-mile beach walk, and my first time stand-up Paddle boarding – which scared the ever-living &#%$ out of me. Getting off shore past the monster crashing waves with that giant board was a real treat… I got beat the truck up and thrown down about 7 times, knocked in the head with the board, lost my suit a time or two, and scraped my whole self up – while Val Kilmer stood on his balcony and watched. He's DEFINITELY seen my boobs. Finally, I got out there. It was both peaceful and terrifying – being a hundred yards or so off the shore, not knowing what's underneath you, and having a baby seal (aka shark snack) bobbing right next to your board… but hey. I lived.
A handfulla sea glass from our long walk, and a wee heart-shaped rock for good measure.
The surf
Big pimpin in my big Golden Girls sunhat
Kate and I did The Ranch at Solstice Canyon on Saturday night for dinner… we chanced it without rezzies, and just when I was ready to hover over some old people at the bar to pounce on their seats, Kate charmed the waiter into giving us the best seats in the house. Flirting gets that girl the VIP treatment like no one I've ever seen.
Posting up for sunset on Sunday. I know, it's Cat Lady status to the max with all the Gus pics, but he's such a good soul and fulla personality I can't help myself… plus lately, I'm keenly aware of his age and that my (years) with him are numbered. Anyhow – we parked it outside with a glass of vino to watch the sun go down.
And then it just got prettier & prettier from there.
And then KP came out to join us! She was inside working. Poor kid.
It wasn't a conventional Valentine's Day, but hey. What are you gonna do? It was awesome. And if you would've told me a little over a year ago a) that I would ever be single again, or b) that I would've quit my job, packed up my house, thrown Gus in the car and moved to other side of the country, I wouldn't even have been able to get my brain around it. Who knows why sh*t happens. I've been busting out 90's country at work for the past few weeks, and a few days ago an old Trace Adkins song called "Time Marches On" came on – the one that says: "The only thing that stays the same is everything changes, everything changes." And it almost took my breath away… in part because I hadn't heard that jam since high school, and when I did hear it again, it felt like I'd heard it yesterday… except it wasn't yesterday; it had been 16 years. Just like that. (Do you feel a tangent coming on? Cuz I do. Get ready.)
I'm extraordinarily aware lately that time moves SO, so quickly, and I'm even more aware that nothing is guaranteed… things I never thought would happen have happened: I still can't believe that our best friend Mel's little brother Ryan is really gone. Or that friends with perfect lives and seemingly perfect relationships would walk in to find their significant others cheating and their lives changed forever. I also keep thinking about a wedding M & I were gleefully seated at a few years ago, when we still had what we thought was a whole life together ahead of us… Fast forward 3 years, and no one ever could've conceived that one day, he would vanish in the most senseless of ways… or that the groom at that wedding would die tragically less than a year later. Or that tragedy would befall any of the people around us. My point isn't to be a downer; it's to put extra emphasis on: "HOLY SH*T, LIFE IS PRECIOUS." And you never really know what's around the next corner. Another old friend told me about a year ago that life was always going to ebb and flow with joy and sorrow, and that the only thing you can really do to manage it all is to always be at peace, because all of it is going to come down the pike no matter what. It's maybe some of the best advice I've ever gotten, and I thought a lot about that this weekend… about being at peace, and about how change is the only constant in life, and about how things move so quickly that it's all too short to spend doing anything but being fully present, wherever you are. Even in the wake of things that tug (hard) at your heart. That's what I'm working on doing a lot more these days… and this weekend was a good start. Cuz if I had spent the weekend worrying about the life I thought I was going to have, then I wouldn't have been able to appreciate the life that I actually do… and all of the wonderful things that are here now: like having an amazing friend in Kate… or a deliriously happy dog – who one day won't be here anymore – and who traipses up and down the beach to greet (everyone) like it's the best day of his life… And maybe I wouldn't have been able to appreciate all the beauty that was around me, or how Kate & I both almost peed our pants when we got into the backseat of an old woman's car parked outside her door on Saturday night who we THOUGHT was the Uber driver, but who then said to us: "What are you girls doing in my car? Who are you? What the hell is Uber?" Etc etc. Anyway – try not to blink, yo, or you'll miss so much of the good stuff. Imma tryda do the same.
Fist bump long distance,
aka Jack Handy


text:
Core Drill Bits
All RIDGID® segmented diamond drill bits are laser welded for superior strength. They are three times stronger than conventional brazed bits. RIDGID core bits are available in 2 styles: Premium Red and High Speed Premium Red. Premium Red core bits are heavy-duty, multi-purpose bits for drilling in many types of materials including reinforced concrete, cinder block, stone, etc. High Speed Premium Red core bits are designed for high speed drilling. Unique diamond segment design can increase drilling speed as much as 30% over conventional bits.
Read More


text:
use Crypt::Eksblowfish;
$block_size = Crypt::Eksblowfish->blocksize;
$cipher = Crypt::Eksblowfish->new(8, $salt, $key);
$block_size = $cipher->blocksize;
$ciphertext = $cipher->encrypt($plaintext);
$plaintext = $cipher->decrypt($ciphertext);
$p_array = $cipher->p_array;
$s_boxes = $cipher->s_boxes;
if($cipher->is_weak) { ...
An object of this type encapsulates a keyed instance of the Eksblowfish block cipher, ready to encrypt and decrypt.Eksblowfish is a variant of the Blowfish cipher, modified to make the key setup very expensive. (``Eks'' stands for ``expensive key schedule''.) This doesn't make it significantly cryptographically stronger, but is intended to hinder brute-force attacks. It also makes it unsuitable for any application requiring key agility. It was designed by Niels Provos and David Mazieres for password hashing in OpenBSD. See Crypt::Eksblowfish::Bcrypt for the hash algorithm. See Crypt::Eksblowfish::Blowfish for the unmodified Blowfish cipher.
Eksblowfish is a parameterised (family-keyed) cipher. It takes a cost parameter that controls how expensive the key scheduling is. It also takes a family key, known as the ``salt''. Cost and salt parameters together define a cipher family. Within each family, a key determines an encryption function in the usual way. See Crypt::Eksblowfish::Family for a way to encapsulate an Eksblowfish cipher family.
- Crypt::Eksblowfish->blocksize
- Returns 8, indicating the Eksblowfish block size of 8 octets. This method may be called on either the class or an instance.
- Crypt::Eksblowfish->new(COST, SALT, KEY)
Performs key setup on a new instance of the Eksblowfish algorithm,
returning the keyed state. The KEY may be any length from 1 octet to
72 octets inclusive. The SALT is a family key, and must be exactly
16 octets. COST is an integer parameter controlling the expense of
keying: the number of operations in key setup is proportional to 2^COST.
All three parameters influence all the subkeys; changing any of them
produces a different encryption function.
Due to the mandatory family-keying parameters (COST and SALT), this constructor does not match the interface expected by "Crypt::CBC" and similar crypto plumbing modules. To use Eksblowfish with them it is necessary to have an object that encapsulates a cipher family and provides a constructor that takes only a key argument. That facility is supplied by "Crypt::Eksblowfish::Family".
- $cipher->blocksize
- Returns 8, indicating the Eksblowfish block size of 8 octets. This method may be called on either the class or an instance.
- $cipher->encrypt(PLAINTEXT)
- PLAINTEXT must be exactly eight octets. The block is encrypted, and the ciphertext is returned.
- $cipher->decrypt(CIPHERTEXT)
- CIPHERTEXT must be exactly eight octets. The block is decrypted, and the plaintext is returned.
- $cipher->p_array
- $cipher->s_boxes
- These methods extract the subkeys from the keyed cipher. This is not required in ordinary operation. See the superclass Crypt::Eksblowfish::Subkeyed for details.
- $cipher->is_weak
- This method checks whether the cipher has been keyed with a weak key. It may be desired to avoid using weak keys. See the superclass Crypt::Eksblowfish::Subkeyed for details.
Eksblowfish guts originally by Solar Designer (solar at openwall.com).Modifications and Perl interface by Andrew Main (Zefram) <[email protected]>.
Copyright (C) 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 Andrew Main (Zefram) <[email protected]>The original Eksblowfish code (in the form of crypt()) from which this module is derived is in the public domain. It may be found at <http://www.openwall.com/crypt/>.
This module is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same terms as Perl itself.


text:
Saturday, March 7, 2009
An Early Saturday Morning
2 comments:
- Anonymous said...
I'd say spring "done sprung" in Itawamba County, a couple of weeks early! I can't believe those Bradford Pear trees survived that recent snowfall to put on such a show looking like balls of cotton candy. . . The top 2/3 of our Bradford is completely leafed out, and the remaing flowers will have disappeared in another day or two. Here in the Tarrant County, TX area, these trees are so susceptible to splitting in our high winds - we lost over 1/3 of our tree top when wind split it last fall just before the frost that turned the tree into a copper ball. bettye
- March 8, 2009 at 7:33 PM
- Bob Franks said...
Bettye, although the Bradford Pear is a pretty tree, I don't particularly care for it as it is bad to blow over, being so top heavy. I've seen plenty of them flattened after a thunderstorm. But they sure are pretty during spring, and are a fast grower.
- March 12, 2009 at 6:08 PM


text:
I've two heros to level 10, and now I got a daily quest that is specific to two classes that I still have at level 1. Winning with those with a basic deck lacking any of the cards you gain on the way to level 10 looks very unlikely. I've played reasonably successful with my mage, so my opponents now are a bit too strong for a level 1 basic deck.
Levelling with practice games against the regular AI is tediously slow and boring. But playing casual or ranked games seems mostly suicide without it, though it might be an option if the XP gain even when defeated would be higher than in practice. Or should I play against the expert AI?
Which is the fastest way to level up my heros to 10 so that I can properly use them with all the basic cards?


text:
Item #: SCP-038
Object Class: Safe
Special Containment Procedure: SCP-038 is to be watered twice per day via overhead mister. Should the mister break for any reason, attendants should water SCP-038 by hand until it has been fixed. Lighting is provided by computer-controlled lighting array. Attendants watering SCP-038 by hand and maintenance personnel fixing mister or lighting should wear hazmat suits to prevent accidental cloning.
Description: SCP-038 was found on an abandoned farm in █████████████, New York, in 19██. It was at first thought to be a common apple tree. However, upon closer inspection, it became apparent that SCP-038 was growing things other than apples and, in fact, other than fruit.
SCP-038 has the ability to clone any object that touches its bark. Objects begin growing almost instantaneously and reach maturity within a matter of minutes. A weight limit of 90.9 kg (200 lb) per object has been previously recorded. Objects that SCP-038 has thus far cloned include: apples, oranges, watermelons, eggplants, candy bars, snack foods (See Addendum #1), televisions, toasters, laptops, keys (See Addendum #2), chairs, wine, DVDs, CDs (See Addendum #3), cats, dogs, and people.
Human and animal cloning through SCP-038 is not recommended, as they appear to age quickly. The majority of these clones live, on average, two (2) weeks. After thorough examination of the deceased clones, it has been determined that they had begun to ferment before death.
Object is currently held on Site-23 and there are currently no plans to move it.
Addendum #1: Dr. Klein has requested that personnel discontinue the cloning of items from the vending machines. (See Document #338-1)
Addendum #2: Dr. Klein has requested that personnel discontinue the cloning of personal items. (See Document #338-1)
Addendum #3: Dr. Klein has requested that personnel discontinue the cloning of movies and music. (See Document #338-1)
Addendum #4: Dr. Klein has requested that personnel discontinue the cloning of cans of Miller, Budweiser, and Foster's. Dr. Klein has furthermore expressed customary disapproval of the quality of such cloned items. (See Document #338-1b)
Document #338-1: "I would like to remind all personnel that SCP-038 is not, I repeat, not a toy. It should not be used for cloning car keys, movies, music, or items from the vending machines. If this behavior continues I will be forced to limit access to SCP-038.
- Dr. Klein"
Document #338-2: It has been noted that SCP-038 is able to clone SCP-500 — however, such pills only work 30% of the time, with chance of successful healing dropping as time since cloned increases. In 60% of the cases where the infection is permanent, symptoms of infection remain, though further infection is neutralized.
SCP-038 Partial Testing Log - select experiments only
For full test records and reports, contact affiliated researchers for authorization
Date: 11/08/████
Intent: Confirmation of mass limit: investigation into consequences of exceeding limit.
Summary of test results: 400 pound steel ingot made contact with the outer bark of SCP-038. Chamber vacated as a precaution. Cloned ingot grew at typical speed, but growth halted abruptly short of completion. Examination of the end of the aborted facsimile revealed a rough texture superficially resembling miniature-scale tree bark. Item detached from SCP-038 as typical, and was subsequently found to weigh 90.91 kilograms, or almost precisely 200 pounds.
Date: 11/08/████
Intent: Investigation into duplication of non-biological animate matter.
Summary of test results: SCP-173, deemed a suitable test subject because of its lack of verifiable life processes, introduced into containment chamber by Class-D personnel. Contact made with the outer bark of SCP-038, and SCP-173 returned immediately to containment. SCP-173 facsimile began development at typical speed, beginning at point of contact. As consistent with previous results, growth halted at the 200-pound threshold, in this case terminating development after replication of the head, right arm, and partial upper torso. Class-D test subject was ordered to break eye contact with clone. When test subject eventually blinked, no movement was observed in cloned material. Extinguishing and reestablishment of containment chamber light supply revealed no apparent reaction from cloned material. Experiment concluded. During storage of cloned portion of SCP-173, it was observed that the partial facsimile was in fact making violent gestures, at a dramatically slower rate. Movement was shown to continue regardless of state of observation.


text:
Imagine a customer renting a car to move three short blocks in Brooklyn, N.Y. She calls on Zipcar, a membership-based car-sharing service—an alternative to buying or renting a car. After sweating in the July heat, hauling various household items up and down three flights of stairs, and making the same right-hand turns throughout several trips from one apartment to the next, her five-hour rental time has gone by in a flash. Suddenly, she finds herself nearing the rental deadline with not enough time to finish moving and return the car to the parking garage. Panicking, and checking her phone in disbelief at the time of day, she sees an SMS text from Zipcar, asking if she needs an extra 30 minutes. Elated, she texts back, a one-word affirmation and avoids a Benjamin-valued late fee and complete loss of her composure.
What Zipcar offers, an easy way to extend rental time, is nothing revolutionary. However, that simple proactive communication may be the difference between a consumer's bad experience and a very good one.
Paul Greenberg, president and founder of CRM consultancy The 56 Group, makes the point that many companies are pushing toward building more positive interactions. However, Greenberg underscores a corporate truism: "Most companies don't do anything but react, anyway," he says.
Proactive CRM, as we are calling it, is a departure from traditional, reactive behavior and aims to take early action that facilitates a desired result. It could be giving consumers what they want before they have to ask for it. In some cases it involves monitoring products and customers to solve problems before they happen. In more cases, it's arming customers with the tools and information they need to accomplish their goals. Each of these practices would undoubtedly create more positive customer experiences.
Proactive Service
Southwest Airlines appears to be the poster child for proactive CRM—the airline has a branch of its company appropriately titled "Proactive Customer Service Communications." Fred Taylor, given the nickname "Mr. Apology" in a New York Times profile, took charge of the team after being plucked from the company's front lines in 2007. Taylor, who presented at the 2010 Net Promoter conference, says he writes around 240 letters a year to Southwest passengers, often apologizing for unforeseen problems on flights or with travel scheduling.
Chris Carfi, vice president at Edelman Digital and author of the blog, The Social Customer Manifesto, was a lucky recipient of a proactive memorandum from Southwest in June 2007. Carfi's flight to Oakland was disrupted by an unexpected stop in Omaha. A few weeks following the unpleasant plane ride, Carfi found a note from Southwest in his mailbox, one explaining the reason for the unexpected landing, apologizing for the inconvenience, and offering a SWA voucher for his experience.
One might argue that because the letter arrived after the bad customer experience that it was more reactive than proactive. However, the voucher, when combined with the letter, is a proactive attempt to keep Carfi, and others, from taking their business elsewhere. "The fact that they reached out proactively and communicated information in a timely manner—I thought that was phenomenal," Carfi remarks.
According to Taylor, 70 percent of Southwest customers who receive proactive communications return to the airline and bring others with them. "We create a wow factor…and a positive storytelling experience," he said at the conference. "I am fortunate to work for a company that puts forth a lot of support and resources to make sure my team [can] accomplish our mission each and every day."
But the fact of the matter is that not all companies have the culture that Southwest does. Some struggle with the reactive part of CRM.
Proactive Suggestions
Carfi sees advancements in the way organizations will incorporate social media information into their customer engagement strategies. This would yield communications based on a consumer's stated interests or buying history. Amazon.com has been a pioneer in this area. Businesses like Netflix and Pandora also excel at proactively suggesting new movies or music based on past behaviors.
However, right now, suggestions and recommendations work well for companies with subjective products like music and movies. Despite a company's knowledge of customers and an engine that can generate what they might want next, customers might not be ready for recommendations in certain sectors. While recommending movies or music is not likely to be perceived as stalker-like behavior, offering healthcare information would raise some eyebrows. Also, there's always the possibility that companies can go too far. "The flipside is if the recommendations are too proactive, especially around things you might like," Carfi says. "Knowing where to draw the line—Is this creepy or stalker-y?—is important."
Proactive Notifications
Proactive CRM can also give consumers the information they need to plan their day. Anyone who has ever waited around for a cable guy understands how frustrating it can be to plan an entire day around a service appointment. The best companies, Greenberg says, are the ones that now have developed sophisticated systems to carve out an hour time frame for arrival. "Those things are great because even if they have a problem, it's not a four-hour problem that's dragged it into the 6th or 7th hour," Greenberg says. "They give you the information you need so you can make the judgments you need to make."
Home furnisher Arhaus Furniture has taken that facet to the next level. John Roddy, senior vice president and senior logistics officer for the company, spearheaded an implementation of TOA Technologies a few years back to not only cut down on the time that its customers had to wait for furniture delivery, but to give them the ability to track the delivery trucks and even view a photo of the driver. "One of the biggest things we used to hear was that we didn't communicate with customers enough [on] the day of the delivery," Roddy says. With TOA's ETA solution, Arhaus makes automated phone calls to customers to give them an exact idea of when to expect a delivery.
Changing the system has yielded fantastic customer satisfaction scores and feedback. Roddy reveals that about 90 percent of its furniture delivery recipients are females at home with children. "Making sure the right guy is coming to the house is pretty important so we let them see a picture of who is going to be arriving at the door," Roddy says. "This is another step to reach the consumer and help them feel more at ease."
TOA's technology employs a predictive system that measures everything that happens in the field. Everything is reported and then the system takes a time stamp for every activity, via a real-time motion study. At the end of month, [TOA customers] create a performance profile for its [their] customers. That is then used that to estimate with a high degree of accuracy when a technician will arrive at a customer's home.
Proactive Communications
For wireless music provider Sonos, being proactive means being pervasive. When Mike Carlino, senior director of customer service, came on board three years ago, about 85 percent of communications with customers occurred over the phone. Since then, the company has set up shop on social media sites, has developed a knowledge base for customer self-service, and has implemented online chat to assist customers.
Now only 40 percent of interactions are phone-based, according to Carlino. For every phone call, there are 15 page views of the online knowledge base. Carlino attributes the effectiveness of the solution to its consistent monitoring of issues that customers search. But still, Sonos puts a lot of emphasis on having a well-trained and friendly support team. "If you view tech support as a jet engine, where you suck 'em in and spit 'em out...you're not going to fare well in the long run," he says. Instead, Sonos focuses on longevity with customers and employees.
Proactive communication can mean a company reaching out about an issue that a customer might have, but it also could mean giving customers myriad ways to connect, based on her preference. Zipcar, for instance, encourages SMS correspondence, as well as mobile access of the site, and even unlocking the car with an iPhone.
Proactive Problem Solving
In April 2009, when two former rogue Domino's Pizza employees posted a vulgar video of their unsanitary acts in the kitchen of a North Carolina franchise on YouTube, they created a public relations firestorm for the company. A few years ago, the typical corporate response might have been to merely pull the videos off the Internet and wait for the public relations storm to pass. However, as social media puts more pressure on companies to communicate and respond in real time, it requires organizations to change the way they conduct damage control. Domino's promptly responded on YouTube with a message of its own, featuring a video from Patrick Doyle, president (now CEO) of Domino's USA. While the response may not have fully restored the company's brand, it's far better than doing nothing.
Fortunately, thanks to social media monitoring tools and listening platforms, businesses can keep an eye on mentions of them in social networks, blogs, and forums. They can then respond or take action before the issue gets blown out of proportion as with Nestlé's Facebook fall-out (see "Crashing the Community" in CRM's June 2010 issue).
The problem with being proactive, as noted by Carfi, is that there's a level of "let-go" required to make these things happen. "There's definitely a connection between the proactive conversation and the general conversation around transparency," Carfi says. "Being proactive you have to be transparent."
Not surprisingly the companies mentioned here for their proactive efforts are cutting edge, less traditional organizations. Why? Shifting from reactive requires a culture change and it's hard for a company that has deeply engrained processes to turn the ship around.
The Proactive Promise
So where's the benefit in all of this? Being proactive cuts down on consumers' time and efforts, thereby, improving the experience. David's Bridal, for instance, the country's largest retailer of wedding wear, has funds for random acts of kindness. Because the company closely listens to its social media mentions, it occasionally drops in and uses some funds to make a bride's day.
One such act of kindness left a bride-to-be with more than just a warm, fuzzy feeling. She wrote about her situation—one riddled with loss, challenges, and poor health—in combination with her dress shopping experience at David's. The blog was so touching to Scott Rogers, the company's former director of strategic planning, that he asked for permission to reach out to the woman and offer up some goodwill on David's behalf. Granted the means to do so, Rogers got in touch via Facebook and asked what his company could contribute that would be meaningful for that woman. She, of course shocked and a little confused by the gesture, said they could contribute flowers. Not only did Rogers coordinate the flowers for this customer's wedding, but he rounded up the biggest wedding card he could find and got all of the corporate employees to sign it. For David's Bridal and this one special customer, being proactive was incredibly powerful.
Although it's not expected that companies should do such activities or even have the means to on a regular basis, a once-in-a-blue-moon proactive effort can boost employee morale and make a huge difference in the life of that customer.
Proactive Is:
Social@Scale Crisis Management
When unexpected publicity hits, it pays to be prepared.


text:
New Delhi [India]: Durvesh is a 22-year-old boy who has achieved so much in life while studying in a college. Meanwhile, other college students of his age waste their time and hang around here and there. They think that 4 years of college are Just for fun.
But Durvesh thinks differently. He worked hard and regarded those 4 years as an opportunity to build the foundation of his life.
In an interview with Durvesh Yadav, he said that 4 years of college are the foundation of a Youth's Life and Youth has 2 options to spend these crucial 4 years, Either to invest in learning to build their future Or Just waste those 4 years and Regret later in life.
Here are some of the Insightful questions and his answers which Youth can learn and can know more about his upcoming book…
Q1: So Mr. Durvesh, What Inspired you to write this book?
A: See, Since I Was in my second year of college I started studying about successful people and got to know so many secrets which successful people implement in their life and I noticed one common trait in successful people that they have a vision.
Then, I realized that most of us live our life without a purpose, vision, or goal. That's why we are unsuccessful in our life.
This is the main difference between successful and unsuccessful people. As I could observe that my friends, my colleagues, and people around me were directionless.
I wanted to help them but at that time I had no result to show off to those people and tell them they can also become successful.
So Instead of telling them, I started implementing those learnings which I learned from successful people and while studying in college, I reached the point where I started earning a 6 figure amount per month.
I observed and found that those learning which I had been implementing are must for every student to build their life and that's why I thought that writing a book is the best way to share my experience with students to help them succeed in their life.
…that's Nice to hear Durvesh, Our Youth Now A Days Are Misguided, I Really Love that the people like you are changing this youth and the country.
Q2: So Durvesh, Tell Us What This Book Is All About?
A: As You Said, That Our Youth Now A Days Are Misguided, They Are Directionless, They don't know what to do in their life. They don't know how to deal with a negative mind?
Schools and colleges are just focusing on theoretical knowledge But Nobody Is Teaching Us About How To Dream, How To succeed, How to make our career in the 21st century.
So This is very important for every student to develop their mindset first and then build their meaningful life.
They don't know what to do in life, they are just following the rat race. So it's important for them to learn the secrets like what is the most important thing to succeed, Why they must dream and have a vision,
So In this Book, I Have Shared 4 Stages To Build a Meaningful life.
This book is all about what our school and colleges are not teaching us which is about having a good mindset, how to succeed in life, and how to grow their career in this 21st century.
Q3: So Durvesh My 3rd Question Is, What's Your Goal from this book?
My Goal from this book is just to bring positivity, prosperity, and bring hope to the students and youth that They also could say "Hell Yes! It's possible to achieve my dreams."
This Book Helps Them To Transform their Mindset and Life.
…So Glad to hear about this book Mr. Durvesh, I Must say that yes this book is a must for every student to Read.
And these were 3 Short and Important Interview Questions out of many Which I shared with you, I hope you guys loved it.
Durvesh is really doing great at this young age and Now He is truly an inspiration to the youths.
He is learning new things and implementing them to continue to grow.
He is also a Keen Learner and Believes in sharing his journey and experiences.
If You want to Buy His Book, Just Visit – http://durveshyadav.com/book/
You can also connect with Durvesh on His Social Media Platforms.
Instagram – www.instagram.com/10xmentor/
Linkedin – www.linkedin.com/in/10xmentor/


text:
Khaled: mIRC 7.51 released
Dear mIRC User,
mIRC v7.51 has been released today.
This is a small update that addresses a number of issues reported by users since the last release. It includes improvements, changes and fixes to a number of features, including:
Fixed server passwords not being migrated from older versions of mIRC.
Updated libraries to OpenSSL 1.0.2l, PCRE 8.41, and zlib 1.2.11.
Fixed /server not parsing passwords set in servers list.
Fixed network name in status window titlebar not being synchronized with switchbar/treebar.
Fixed log files bug that caused logs from different networks to be mixed.
Extended /bset to support -1 to append characters.
Extended DCC Trust to allow network specific address.
Extended LOADINFO structure to include DWORD mBeta value.
Fixed mIRC window saved position bug that caused it to reset to the wrong position.
Added /set -i switch that only initializes a variable if it does not already exist.
Fixed script line parser bug that caused a gpf with some combinations of $str/$N-/$len.
Extended $compress()/$decompress() to support raw, zlib, and gzip.
Updated CA root certificates cacert.pem file.
Fixed Clear History not correctly clearing network names in switchbar/treebar.
How to upgrade?
mIRC is distributed in an installer that installs mIRC on your computer for you. Simply download and run the installer from the download page on the mIRC website. Follow the instructions the installer gives to you. When upgrading all your old settings and scripts will stay as they were, if you want that. Read the questions the installer asks with care and nothing can go wrong. You will be chatting with the new mIRC in no time. If you get stuck or if you want to find out more about a certain feature, just click on a Help button or browse the Help file and you should find lots of hints to help you out.
Where to download?
As always, the latest version of mIRC can be downloaded from the download page on the mIRC website.
Registering mIRC
As you know, mIRC can be downloaded freely and evaluated for 30 days. If you find that you enjoy using mIRC, it would be great and much appreciated if you registered your copy. This licenses you to keep your copy of mIRC and helps to support our continued work on mIRC. You can find out how to register here.
Full list of Fixes, Changes and Additions.
For a more detailed list of recent changes, please see the whatsnew.txt file. You will need to read through the help file to learn more about these changes and their impact. Some changes are obvious, some need getting used to - please take your time to play with them and see how they work. May we invite you to use these forums for all questions you might have? The forums offer great help with everything related to mIRC!
Thanks for using mIRC, have fun on IRC!
From Khaled: mIRC 7.51 released
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text:
Puma x PTC Tech Rope Cap
- Regular price
- $31.49
- Regular price
$45.00 - Sale price
- $31.49
- Unit price
- per
Using our lightweight tech based material for ultimate performance and breathability. Featuring a moisture wicking sweatband, new and improved brim, and softest snapback closure to provide maximum comfort while to playing at your best.
- Front 3D Silicone Patch
- 110 Flexfit Tech Moisture Wicking Sweatband
- Slight Pre-Curve Top Visor
- PTC Branded Seamtape
- Side Panel Perforations
- Thick brim stitching for a new and improved brim that won't lose shape
- Soft rubberized snapback closure
Returns & Shipping
Returns & Shipping
Please note returns must be requested within 30 days of receipt and all product returned in new and unused condition. Custom built limited edition golf clubs cannot be returned.
PUMA x PTC Tech Rope Cap | PUMA Golf


text:
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif., July 25, 2011 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ --
Amgen (NASDAQ: AMGN) today announced that it will report its second quarter financial results on Friday, July 29, 2011 before the opening of the U.S. financial markets. The announcement will be followed by a conference call with the investment community at 8 a.m. Pacific Time. Participating in the call from Amgen will be Kevin Sharer, chairman and chief executive officer, and other members of Amgen's senior management team.
Live audio of the conference call will be simultaneously broadcast over the Internet and will be available to members of the news media, investors and the general public.
The webcast of the conference, as with other selected presentations regarding developments in Amgen's business given by management at certain investor and medical conferences, can be found on Amgen's website, www.amgen.com, under Investors. Information regarding presentation times, webcast availability, and webcast links are noted on Amgen's Investor Relations Events Calendar. The webcast will be archived and available for replay for at least 30 days after the event.
About Amgen
Amgen discovers, develops, manufactures, and delivers innovative human therapeutics. A biotechnology pioneer since 1980, Amgen was one of the first companies to realize the new science's promise by bringing safe, effective medicines from lab to manufacturing plant to patient. Amgen therapeutics have changed the practice of medicine, helping millions of people around the world in the fight against cancer, kidney disease, rheumatoid arthritis, bone disease, and other serious illnesses. With a deep and broad pipeline of potential new medicines, Amgen remains committed to advancing science to dramatically improve people's lives. To learn more about our pioneering science and vital medicines, visit www.amgen.com.
CONTACT: Amgen, Thousand Oaks
Christine Regan, 805-447-5476 (media)
Arvind Sood, 805-447-1060 (investors)
(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20081015/AMGENLOGO)
SOURCE Amgen


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Coming up with questions is hard work. Frankly, I'm exhausted. You can't imagine the hours I while away, sipping fruity cocktails, conferring with the flowers, daydreaming possible queries. Now I'm going to take a long, hot, restorative soak in the tub. Hopefully you'll hang around to read the answers provided by today's five guest authors: Todd Strasser, Aaron Becker, Florence Minor, David A. Kelly, and Jerdine Nolen.
Todd Strasser
For most of my writing life I've focused on contemporary realistic novels, but as I passed the age of 60, I decided to look back at the early years of my life. What immediately came to mind was the day in 1962 when I was twelve years old and came from school to discover several men digging a very large hole in our backyard. I was thrilled. My parents must have been building a swimming pool! I ran into the house for confirmation, only to learn that hole was the first step in building a fallout shelter. It was the height of the Cold War and my parents were taking no chances. From that incident grew Fallout, my novel about living through the Cuban Missile Crisis, when this country came as close as it ever had to a nuclear war.
The next inspiration that came from my "childhood" concerned the summer of the Woodstock music festival, which I attended. That became my new my novel, Summer of '69. For me the summer began with a draft notice ordering me to prepare to fight in a war I didn't believe in. But that was just the beginning of the angst I would face. My parents on the verge of divorce. My brother, who is mentally and emotionally handicapped and who had never spent a night away from home, was suddenly sent away to a YMCA camp. And, because of all the stress and fear I was feeling, I was taking far too many drugs. I feel that this novel is a landmark in my writing career because it became an opportunity to take a close look at, and try to make sense of, a collection of events that I'd been aware of all my life, but had never pieced together into an understandable whole. For me it was as close to therapy as any novel I've ever written.
Aaron Becker
Most of my books have stemmed from the feelings of boredom I had as a kid; my imagination was the one thing I could count on to take me away. But my latest, You Are Light, is a departure from that. This book is all about my mother and her influence on me as a science teacher. She taught college level astronomy and physics and would often bring home gadgets from her lab work. I always loved anything that had to do with color and light. So the idea of making a book that played with illumination came quite naturally to me. There was no room for a dedication on the copyright page, but if there was, it'd be to her!
Florence Minor
I grew up in a family of animal lovers, and my first bestie was my dog Jigsy, who arrived on the scene the year before I did. My uncle loved to tell stories about my dad stopping to pet every dog or cat he happened to meet on the street, and I have to admit that this apple did not fall far from the tree.
My love of all animals is an integral part of who I am, and when Jigsy passed over the rainbow bridge at age 14 I was bereft. Thankfully Boo the dachshund came into our lives shortly thereafter and her sweet and funny ways (like rolling over a grape but never eating it), helped to heal my broken heart.
Animals, mine as well as those of friends, have always been a joyous part of my life, in person as well as in books, and it feels natural for me to share my love of animals through the books I write for children. A shy child, I spent many hours reading, especially books about animals: Babar, Lassie, The Black Stallion, etc. In How to be a Bigger Bunny, the main character, Tickles, is often left behind by her older siblings (as I was by my older sister) but is able to save them when they get into trouble because of things she's learned in her favorite book. So there you have it! I hope my books about penguins, bears, bunnies, and, stay tuned for kittens, inspire children to read, read, read!
David A. Kelly
A number of things from my childhood have informed my Ballpark Mysteries series of chapter books. Perhaps the first is a sense of fun and play. I grew up in Central New York playing one backyard game after another. Baseball was a huge favorite; in the winter it was hockey on the flooded, frozen baseball field, and nights were filled with capture the flag. While my main characters, Mike and Kate, don't play backyard games in my books, I try to bring that feeling of fun and comradery to my stories.
Mystery stories were also a large influence. I grew up loving mysteries, from Encyclopedia Brown and Two Minute Mysteries to the Hardy Boys and Alfred Hitchcock and the Three Investigators. I often recall specific ones when I'm mulling over possible plot points or searching for inspiration.
My childhood fear of writing has also played a part. As a child, I loved to read but hated to write. I could never figure out how to get started or what to write about. My spelling was bad and I was lazy. But as an adult, the very fact that I never considered myself a writer is what allowed me to become an author. I had nothing to lose by trying to write the Ballpark Mysteries. Luckily, with persistence, hard work, and lots of assistance it's worked out.
And of course, some specific things from my childhood have shown up in my books. All that crab soccer I played in elementary school gym class made its way into The Baltimore Bandit scene in which my main characters, Mike and Kate, play crab soccer at Camden Yards to investigate a missing baseball glove. And the time that my father snuck me into a nearby hotel to meet Hank Aaron, who was staying there before a Hall of Fame Day Game in Cooperstown. After initially rebuffing me because he was eating his breakfast, he signed my baseball after finishing. I created a similar incident in The All-Star Joker when Mike is trying to get his baseball signed by a big star.
Jerdine Nolen
When I was a child, my parents told stories to me. They were both natural storytellers. The stories they told were big and wide and wonderful and beautiful and awful and scary and seemed to live along the lines of magic.
The stories moved in my head and heart which moved me to feel and see the world in a particular way. The stories were packed with intrigue, fear, and hope. And always there was something to be gained by hearing the story. I sometimes wonder if the message my parents wanted me to glean was what I actually took away.
For my father, he often read or retold Bible stories to us. For my mother, her stories would always start, "…did I ever tell you about the time…" I think that coupled with my imagination, I was able to tell my own entertaining stories.
Often the reprimands given me included some (symbolic) story from my parent's own childhood or something from the Bible.
So, yes. My childhood informs my stories.


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How to be a good agency client
July 1, 2014
I've been working in advertising agencies for almost 30 years now and I've had the incredible good fortune to work with some amazing clients over the years. Early in my career, before I had the deciding vote on who we'd serve, I also worked with some real jerks.
For most of us in the marketing world, we serve clients (could be an internal department or external, paying clients) and in most cases, we are also someone else's client (vendor, strategic partner, agency if you're client side, etc.) as well.
I thought I'd reflect on my life with clients (and being a client) …and share the best practices so we can all be a better client on the next go around. Have you ever wondered how to be a good agency client?
Talk to us about budget: It's ridiculous how some clients make their agency jump through hoops to guess at the budget. We can't help you spend your money in the wisest, most effective way possible if we don't know the boundaries. If you don't trust us enough to tell us – fire us.
Say thank you in your own way: One of my all-time favorite clients came over one Christmas week and serenaded us with one of her holiday favorites. What an incredible gift – to share something so personal with such affection and heart. I'll never forget the experience.
Invite us to the party: We can be so much more helpful if you bring us inside. Let us interact with your c-suite, sales team, and customer service reps and be a part of the very early strategy sessions. We bring a very unique and valuable perspective – we're informed outsiders. We can see with more clarity and less bias but we also know enough to ask the hard but insightful questions.
Trust us: Our job is to make you a rock star. To help you achieve and surpass your company's goals. We're on your side. In theory, you selected us to be your partner because you believe we're good at our work. So trust us. Don't let your personal bias or preferences lead you in the wrong direction – when we disagree with you, let us explain, from our experience and expertise, why we disagree and be mindful of your mindset. In the end, it's your money and we'll do as you ask, but don't shortchange our desire to being your best ally.
Pay your bills on time: On the other end of the money — pay your bills on time. Odds are we jumped through hoops to hit your deadlines, and now it's your turn. Don't put your agency in the position of being your bank. Remember, they've incurred costs on your behalf, so don't hang them out to dry. Everyone hits a tough spot and when that happens, talk to us about it. But don't leave us in the dark.
Connect with us: We all want to work with people we like. Don't hide your humanity. Show us your vacation pictures. Tell us your funny weekend story. Reminisce about the old job or the old boss. We don't have to be best buddies (although it's nice when that happens) but it's human nature to work harder for someone you like. So let us get to know you on a personal level.
Celebrate with us: Marketing is usually a a winding road of obstacles and last minute adjustments, done at breakneck speed and involves a bit of risk. When it all comes together, it's magical. Take time to celebrate with the entire team. Give kudos to the people who often don't get the lead the team or enjoy the glory. Rewarding everyone with a special dinner or even a bagel break will fire up the team for the next challenge.
The lion's share of agency owners and employees chose the profession because they love to use their creativity to help clients.
Letting them know you appreciate their efforts and actually helping them help you means you both get more of what will make you happy and successful.


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Yesterday, I read with interest the essay from Paul Harvey written after the conclusion of the Second Vatican Council. Entitled, "What Catholic Tradition Means to a Protestant", his opening three sentences are particularly captivating:
This is none of my business, yet I am unexplainably compelled to address myself to a most sensitive subject however many or few read it, heed it, or resent it.
The Roman Catholic Church, from the outside, has symbolized authority since my earliest recollections.
Great institutions might erode away, towering individuals reveal feet of clay, nations be reduced to ashes or decay—yet the steeple with the cross on top remained, timeless and unchanging.
Reading this, I sensed a fear in Harvey's words that something so steadfast, so taken for granted as a constant of the known universe, was suddenly and quite unexpectedly subject to change. And the 20th century brought nothing if not a zeitgeist of sweeping change. From the breathtaking emergence of communism to two World Wars to the sexual revolution and nuclear detente, the 1900s were trying times, where the world as it had been seemed altogether different. I am reminded of Paul Johnson's description in Modern Times of how the publication and testing of Einstein's special theory of relativity unintentionally led to the tide of moral relativism which became the ideological scourge of the century:
At the beginning of the 1920s the belief began to circulate, for the first time at a popular level, that there were no longer any absolutes: of time and space, of good and evil, of knowledge, above all of value. Mistakenly but perhaps inevitably, relativity became confused with relativism.
Johnson describes Einstein's distress at the way his theory was twisted into something that unmade the established order of things:
He lived to see moral relativism, to him a disease, become a social pandemic, just as he lived to see his fatal equation bring into existence nuclear warfare. There were times, he said at the end of his life, when he wished he had been a simple watchmaker. The public response to relativity was one of the principal formative influences on the course of twentieth-century history. It formed a knife, inadvertently wielded by its author, to help cut society adrift from its traditional moorings in the faith and morals of Judeo-Christian culture.
When absolutes are suddenly and radically altered, the consequences can be profound. In his brilliant work on the anthropology of liturgy, The Heresy of Formlessness, German writer Martin Mosebach argues that arbitrary and unconsidered alterations within the context of worship changed the very nature of Catholic belief:
If, however, we think correctly and historically, we should realize that what is an expression of veneration in one period can be an expression of blasphemy in another. If people who have been kneeling for a thousand years suddenly get to their feet, they do not think, "We're doing this like the early Christians, who stood for the Consecration"; they are not aware of returning to some particularly authentic form of worship. They simply get up, brush the dust from their trouser-legs and say to themselves: "So it wasn't such a serious business after all."
There is a true danger in diminishing a sense of what is sacred in the pursuit of the latest trend. Originally published in May of 1966, Harvey's was not the only voice of concern from a non-Catholic about what was going on in the Church. A similar examination of the changes happening in the Church from same time period was published in 1971, when Pope Paul VI received a letter with signatures from prominent figures in the arts and academia, urgently pleading the case for preserving the centuries-old form of Catholic liturgy. After the creation of the Novus Ordo Missae, this liturgy — now known as the "Extraordinary Form" — was already in the process of being dismantled to make way for the new Mass.
"If some senseless decree were to order the total or partial destruction of basilicas or cathedrals," the signatories of the letter wrote, "then obviously it would be the educated – whatever their personal beliefs – who would rise up in horror to oppose such a possibility. Now the fact is that basilicas and cathedrals were built so as to celebrate a rite which, until a few months ago, constituted a living tradition. We are referring to the Roman Catholic Mass. Yet, according to the latest information in Rome, there is a plan to obliterate that Mass by the end of the current year."
Unlike the iconoclasts of the French Revolution who defiled Catholic churches as stables or as shrines to the goddess Reason, these luminaries recognized the central cultural and intellectual role of not just Catholicism, but its liturgy, in the life and history of Western Civilization. The text of the appeal continued:
The rite in question, in its magnificent Latin text, has also inspired a host of priceless achievements in the arts – not only mystical works, but works by poets, philosophers, musicians, architects, painters and sculptors in all countries and epochs. Thus, it belongs to universal culture as well as to churchmen and formal Christians. In the materialistic and technocratic civilisation that is increasingly threatening the life of mind and spirit in its original creative expression – the word – it seems particularly inhuman to deprive man of word-forms in one of their most grandiose manifestations. The signatories of this appeal, which is entirely ecumenical and non-political, have been drawn from every branch of modern culture in Europe and elsewhere. They wish to call to the attention of the Holy See, the appalling responsibility it would incur in the history of the human spirit were it to refuse to allow the Traditional Mass to survive, even though this survival took place side by side with other liturgical reforms.
Yes, there were Catholics on the list of 57 signatures, like Graham Greene and Malcolm Muggeridge, but there were others as well. Some of whom, like Sir Harold Acton, were clearly no followers of Church teaching. And yet they recognized that Catholicism's influence "belongs to universal culture", and they were proud to claim it. In fact, they seemed mortified at the idea of losing the influence of the Church's liturgy in Europe.
There is something essentially reassuring about things that are unchanging. Be they forces of nature, institutions, or truths, whatever persists against the relentless tide of the ages becomes a stalwart force within the world. Even to those who stand in opposition to the teachings of Catholicism, there has often been a certain respect, perhaps even a sort of comforting knowledge that the Church will still be there tomorrow, unflinching as it ever was.
As Catholics, we believe that the Church stands alone in the world as an institution divinely inspired and protected by her Founder. We believe that the gates of hell will not prevail against her. This does not mean that the Church will not experience turmoil, or even danger. During the time of St. Athanasius, much of the Catholic world had submitted to the Arian heresy, and Athanasius himself was excommunicated by Pope Liberius despite leading the charge to defend orthodoxy.
But the Church always prevails.
And given time to flourish, surviving, as it does, the heresies that flare up and the periods of tinkering and updating that come and go, the Church doesn't merely engage with the culture, it creates and inspires it.
It's been a while since the Church was viewed by the non-Catholic world as such a central force for good, and so worthy of protecting. But there is nothing to keep it from becoming such again. We need merely to remember our incredible story, and the story of our Savior, and tell it to the world through not just apologetics and essays, but art and music, architecture and film, liturgy and devotion. We have more tools at our disposal to be creators of culture than ever before, and the power of Catholicism lies not merely in the present, but in the past. It lies in the hands not simply of the Church militant, but the Church triumphant. Like any family, we draw strength not only from our works, but from our customs and traditions. We cannot flourish if we do not remain connected to our history.
In Orthodoxy, G.K. Chesterton offered one of the noblest explanations of tradition that I have ever read. He wrote:
Tradition means giving votes to the most obscure of all classes, our ancestors. It is the democracy of the dead. Tradition refuses to submit to the small and arrogant oligarchy of those who merely happen to be walking about. All democrats object to men being disqualified by the accident of birth; tradition objects to their being disqualified by the accident of death. Democracy tells us not to neglect a good man's opinion, even if he is our groom; tradition asks us not to neglect a good man's opinion, even if he is our father. I, at any rate, cannot separate the two ideas of democracy and tradition; it seems evident to me that they are the same idea. We will have the dead at our councils. The ancient Greeks voted by stones; these shall vote by tombstones. It is all quite regular and official, for most tombstones, like most ballot papers, are marked with a cross.
Marked with a cross. As Paul Harvey said, "the steeple with the cross on top remained, timeless and unchanging."
It is the cross which roots us in history, it is the cross which intersects the present and the past. The Tradition of the Church is not just the Incarnation, but the Passion, a redemptive sacrifice which is unchanging and yet made present anew with the dawning of each day. It infuses us, it grounds us, it propels us. And the world still needs its message: that "God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life."
That man, no matter how fallen, can be redeemed.


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Diindolylmethane (DIM): Understanding a Strong Compound for Health and Well-Being
Diindolylmethane (DIM) is a naturally occurring compound that has been gaining attention in recent years due to its potential health benefits. Found in cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower, DIM is a metabolite of indole-3-carbinol, which is broken down during digestion. While DIM's impacts have been studied mainly in the context of certain health conditions, it offers a wide range of likely benefits for overall health and wellbeing. In this article, we will delve into the world of DIM, exploring its attributes and potential positive immune system booster pills impacts on the body.
1. Hormonal Balance and Estrogen Metabolism
One of the most well-known positives of DIM is its influence on hormonal balance, particularly in relation to estrogen. DIM plays a role in estrogen metabolism, helping to support a healthy balance of estrogen in the body. It aids in the conversion of potent forms of estrogen into weaker forms, which may be useful for both men and women. For women experiencing estrogen dominance or premenstrual symptoms, DIM supplementation may offer relief by promoting a more balanced hormonal environment.
2. Detoxification Support
DIM is also recognized for its possible to support the body's natural detoxification processes. As a powerful antioxidant, DIM helps to neutralize harmful free radicals and aids in the elimination of toxins from the body. By supporting detoxification pathways, DIM may contribute to overall health and wellness and may be particularly useful in supporting liver function.
3. Immune System Boost
Emerging research suggests that DIM may play a role in bolstering the immune system. Studies have shown that DIM can modulate immune responses and support the body's defense against infections and harmful invaders. A robust immune system is crucial for overall health, as it helps the body fight off illnesses and maintain optimal well-being.
4. Skin Health
DIM's influence on hormones and detoxification may also extend to skin health. Some individuals have reported improvements in acne and other skin conditions after using DIM supplements. By promoting hormonal balance and reducing inflammation, DIM may contribute to clearer, healthier skin.
5. Weight Management
While not a weight-loss miracle, DIM may have a positive impact on weight management efforts. As it supports hormonal balance, it may help regulate appetite and support healthy metabolism. Additionally, by aiding in detoxification, DIM may contribute to a more efficient weight management process by eliminating toxins that could hinder weight loss efforts.
6. Cardiovascular Health
Studies suggest that DIM may have potential benefits for cardiovascular health. Some research has shown that DIM can positively influence lipid profiles, helping to maintain healthy cholesterol levels. Additionally, its antioxidant properties may protect blood vessels from oxidative stress and inflammation, supporting overall heart health.
7. Bone Health
DIM's impact on hormonal balance and estrogen metabolism may also extend to bone health. Estrogen plays a crucial role in maintaining bone density, and by supporting estrogen balance, DIM may contribute to stronger bones. However, further research is needed to fully understand DIM's role in bone health.
8. Anti-Inflammatory Properties
Inflammation is a natural immune response, but chronic inflammation can contribute to various health conditions. DIM's antioxidant properties make it a potential ally in combating inflammation and reducing the risk of inflammatory-related diseases. By neutralizing free radicals and supporting the immune system, DIM may help in managing inflammation throughout the body.
9. Cognitive Support
Preliminary research suggests that DIM may offer cognitive support and brain health benefits. Its antioxidant properties may protect brain cells from oxidative damage, and its role in modulating the immune system could potentially have implications for neurological health. However, more extensive research is necessary to fully understand DIM's effects on cognitive function.
10. Athletic Performance and Recovery
Some athletes and fitness enthusiasts have turned to DIM as a potential aid in performance and recovery. By supporting hormone balance and reducing inflammation, DIM may help with muscle recovery and reduce exercise-induced oxidative stress. However, more research is needed to determine its effectiveness in this area.
Diindolylmethane (DIM) is a fascinating compound with a growing body of research supporting its potential health benefits. From hormonal balance and detoxification support to immune system boosting and anti-inflammatory properties, DIM offers a range of potential positive impacts on the body. While much of the current research on DIM has been focused on specific health conditions, its potential applications for overall health and wellness are promising. As with any supplement, it is essential to consult with a healthcare professional before adding DIM to your regimen, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, or taking medications. With continued research and understanding, DIM may become an even more valuable tool in supporting health and vitality for individuals seeking a natural and holistic approach to wellness.