What Goes into E-Liquid?

 

The liquid that is present in an e-cigarette is known as e-liquid.  The smoke juice has four main ingredients: vegetable glycerine, nicotine, propylene glycol and added flavors Most companies that manufacture e-liquids generally have these four ingredients clearly listed out in their company website or on the product label. Unlike smoke from a nicotine cigarette, the vapors from an e-liquid possess no toxins that can affect a user or a bystander. As compared to cigarette smoking, e-cigarette is less harmful.

 

The ingredients

 

Smoke juice or e-liquid is the liquid within an electronic cigarette which delivers nicotine to a smoker. On heating, the liquid vaporizes mimicking tobacco smoke and is inhaled by the user. The principle ingredients that are universally present in all e-fluids and cartridges are:

 

Vegetable Glycine (VG): As the name suggests, VG is extracted from vegetable oils and is 100% non- toxic and natural.  It is one of the base ingredients used in electronic cigarettes. The high density of VG tends to produce more smoke on vaporization. The smoke produced is also less acrid on the throat. It has a soft ‘throat hit’. Thus, many companies formulate a concoction of VG and PG to offer the best and smooth experience.

 

Propylene Glycol (PG): It is a FDA approved synthetic organic compound produced in most laboratories for a variety of purposes. PG is one of the ingredients of skin and personal care products, a food additive in numerous every day products, in pharmaceutical goods as a carrier agent and in smoke machines used in concerts and stage plays. PG creates a strong ‘throat hit’ when incorporated in an e-liquid. The liquid is odorless, safe, colorless and extensive research affirms its non- toxic nature.

 

Distilled water: In few cases, when VG is used as the primary ingredient, distilled water is added to thin out the consistency by diluting the mixture in order to reduce the viscosity. If the solution is viscous, there are chances of build-up and uneven vaporization which can lead to clogging of the e-cigarette.

 

Nicotine: What is a cigarette without nicotine? Agreed that nicotine is under the radar for its ill effects on smokers and second hand smokers, but nicotine does not cause cancer. Yes, it may be addictive even in small quantities, but cancer is caused by the 4000 other chemicals that are present in cigarette smoke. Nicotine, like caffeine is a stimulant found naturally in tobacco leaves. The leaves are dried, chemically treated and pressed into paper rolls to manufacture cigarettes. Other plants like tomato, potato, egg plants, peppers etc., are also known to produce nicotine.

 

Most manufactures, grade the e-cigarette based on the nicotine content with 0 having the least and 5 having the maximum nicotine concentration.

 

Added flavoring: One unique factor for the gaining popularity of e-cigarettes is the availability of a wide range of flavors. The main ingredient may vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, in terms of preparation and extraction, but the flavoring agents are all FDA approved with standardized manufacturing norms. They are food- grade additives. A few examples are:

 

• Beta-lonone: The food-grade compound responsible for the aroma in most essential oils. Currently its effect as anticancer agents is being tested on colon cancer.

 

• Vanillin: The naturally occurring aromatic compound extracted from vanilla bean is commonly used as a flavoring agent in desserts, perfumes, personal care products etc. vanillin is either extracted organically or synthesized artificially in laboratories to reduce cost of the raw material.

 

• Dimethylpyrazine: A common flavoring agent used in drugs, perfume and food industry.

 

• Linalool: Produced naturally in many flowers and spice plants.

 

• Rose oil: An extract from rose petals exploited for its unique soothing scent.

 

• Mallic Acid: It is used to impart fruit flavors in an e-liquid. The taste released is tarty and sour. This organic compound is also added to sodas to reduce pH levels. It is acidic in nature.

 

• Acetylpyrazine: A food flavoring agent which is commonly added to popcorn, potato wafers, sesame seeds, wheat bread, coffee, almonds, pork, beef and cocoa.

 

• Trimethylpyrazine: Used as a flavoring agent in caramel, coffee, cocoa and chocolate. It is FDA approved.

 

• Ethylpyrazine: Used in food products like pork and soup as a flavoring concentrate.

 

A note on the vapor

 

Once the ingredients are collectively vaporized, their qualities transform on entering the lungs and with eventual release into the atmosphere. As with the case of any product that we consume, impurities may be present in electronic cigarette fluids too. So the question now raised is: what are the effects of these impurities on the smoker and the by-stander?

 

According to a study in 2012, published in Indoor air, a comparison between cigarette smoke and e-cigarette smoke to determine the impact on the environment , VOC’s (volatile organic compounds) released by both were tested. Significantly lesser chemicals were detected in the smoke released by an e-cigarette. Only 6 of the 20 compounds present in a nicotine cigarette were found in an e-cigarette. 90% of the detected chemicals were well within the safety margin.

 

Negligible levels of toxins are release into the air which are well within the permissible limits of exposure. The study also showed no significant second hand exposure to nicotine in e-cig. As quoted in a study published in CleanStream Air,” we can conclude by saying it would be more unhealthy to breathe air in a big city than staying in the same room with someone who is vaping.”

 

The vapor from an e-cig disperses at a faster rate than tobacco smoke. It is important to remember that vapor is produced only when the user activates the device.

 

There are no claims that e-cig vapor possesses no health risks at all, but the risks on comparing to that of cigarette are negligible. You are at risk of developing a lung infection if you inhale anything beside 100% pure and safe air. For those who are trying to cut down or quit smoking, e-cigs are a safer alternative. Critics and health officers claim that the associated risk cannot be completely negated as the number of studies conducted on the long term effects of e-cig smokes are very minimal. But, rest assured, they are undoubtedly the safer alternative to smoking.

 

The Future of E Liquids:

Now it seems the market is going into Hemp E Liquid in a BIG way! You can read more about Hemp E Liquids at www.purecbdvapors.com.

 

 

 

from Feedster http://www.feedster.com/blog/nick-chalker/what-goes-into-e-liquid/

3D Printing: The Next Industrial Revolution

There are several new key developments in the 3D printing industry which promise to make 2017 the beginning of the next industrial revolution. Considering the dwindling resources of planet earth, this revolution’s time has come. In addition to lowering costs and increasing customization, perhaps the most important aspect of this industrial revolution is the potential for eliminating waste.

Currently, it is estimated that 30% of all manufactured goods end up in massive landfills before they even reach the consumer. While mass production has lowered costs and increased the availability of many items for a greater number of people, it has also contributed to wasting precious natural resources. As there is often no direct link between supply and demand beyond the power of advertising, mass production facilities in low-wage countries are engaged in an ultimately destructive cycle of massive consumption of raw materials and energy. 3D printing offers the possibility of creating a more sustainable global economy by linking production and consumption. Items can be purchased digitally and customized before production takes place.

 

New Developments

Hewlett-Packard expects to launch their ultra-fast Multi Jet Fusion machine at the end of the year. One more big player entering the game is sure to even further motivate research and development teams of other industry giants, such as 3D Systems and Stratasys to remain competitive. However, it’s not just new players, but new processes that are providing fuel for the 3D printing revolution. In an interview, Neil Hopkinson, Professor of Manufacturing Engineering at the University of Sheffield, explains the new process called High Speed Sintering (HSS). This process enables layers of an object to be sintered in seconds, which increases the current speed of 3D printing by 10 to 100 percent.

Carbon3D, a relatively new startup company, attracted more than $50 million in investment capital based on two impressive short videos demonstrating their Continuous Liquid Interface Production Technology (CLIP). They also attracted Alan Mulally, former CEO of Ford to sit on their board. CLIP utilizes light, oxygen and a photosensitive resin to print objects 25 to 100 times faster than current 3D printers. Rob Schoeben, the company’s Chief Marketing and Strategy Officer, expects the new machines to be launched by the middle of this year. The effect on the manufacturing industry promises to be monumental.

 

The New Manufacturing Industry

The market for 3D printing technology is expected to grow to $5.2 billion dollars by the year 2020. Today, mass production utilizes a subtractive process in which raw materials are placed in a mold and the excess is cut away. The 3D printing process is additive, which means that only the exact amount of raw material needed to make the part is used, which eliminates both waste and the necessity for re-processing raw materials. For the manufacturing industry, this means that less capital for raw materials is needed, which means that more can be spent on research and development and customer service.

With traditional assembly lines, tools and materials have to be changed for each individual job, customer, and product. With 3D printing, production teams have greater flexibility because assembly is a single seamless operation. Both manufacturers and consumers benefit from these cost savings in the form of higher profits and lower prices. Those prices promise to become even lower as new players continue to enter the field and established companies scramble to prevent their existing customers from being lost to the competition as well as attract new ones.

Most people don’t yet fully realize the magnitude of the profound impact 3D printing has already had on our everyday lives. The media sensationalizes it’s use in medical breakthroughs like the creation of artificial limbs and even human organs. However, the reality is that 3D printing technology is used for everything, from toys to custom made zero differential valves for oil industry. There is no limit to the number of imaginative uses for 3D printing.
Gradually replacing current mass production methods with the customized production-on- demand model made possible by 3D printing eliminates waste of earth’s precious natural resources. The lives of our children and grandchildren may depend on it.

from Feedster http://www.feedster.com/blog/twitter-epicninjadaboss/3d-printing-the-next-industrial-revolution/

How does ‘binge-watching’ affect the way we enjoy TV?

Friends, Sex and the City, How I met your Mother, Breaking Bad, Sherlock, Game of Thrones, House of Cards, Vikings… Pick your poison, sit back, relax, and try not to watch an entire season in a couple of days. Difficult, isn’t it? In the era of the internet and availability of TV shows that previously took months to air, we now have the option to watch entire season’s worth of episodes in a day. Does that change our love for TV shows and rituals of watching?

What is binge-watching?

Binge-watching or marathon-viewing is a practice of watching television for a long period of time. The most common occurrence is for people to watch many episodes of a TV show, but you can binge-watch movies too. This is why people sometimes make Star Wars, the Lord of the Rings, and Harry Potter marathons. In the past it has been the practice to gather friends who are just as in love with a TV show of a movie and hang out while watching, but today it is not as common.

Why do we love it so much?

It seems that our brains are pre-wired to enjoy binge-watching, but why is that so? In the time when everything we need is one click away, and reading tweets on social medias has become a ritual, why do we spend long hours watching television? It seems that with all this speed that is in our lives and rush to finish everything at once, our minds crave long narratives which would allow us to get lost in wonderful stories with whose protagonists we can identify.

We dictate the tempo

There are people who love theorizing about plot twists and possible outcomes of their favorite shows, but there are also those who wait for an entire season to be available so they can watch everything at once. Sometimes people will wait as long as the beginning of next season to binge-watch the previous one, or make marathons of all seasons while waiting for the next one. The key here is that we’re in control, and if we are patient we won’t mind watching an episode a week, but for those who can’t stand cliff-hangers binge-watching is heaven!  

Discover something new

It’s easy to watch show after show of epic fantasy or detective series, but what about other genres? Did you even try watching comedy, mystery, genuine drama, or even anime? You would be surprised how many gems are hidden in other areas which may not spark your interest at first. Do some research online, ask your friends and family for a recommendation, and be prepared to be disappointed at times. Or you can try Cennarium, a Netflix but with theater, and watch skilled professional actors pull off a show without multi-million special effects. You may discover new genres, directors, or actors, or re-discover classics.

Don’t overdo it!

It can be difficult to stop watching once you are ‘hooked’ on a show, especially if it’s filled with witty comments, a bit of nudity, and plenty of cliffhangers. Nevertheless, this also means that you will be eating and drinking more than you usually do. Make sure that you binge-watching does not come hand in hand with binge-eating and binge-drinking. Change your habits, put a stationary bike or a rowing machine in front of the TV and exercise while watching a show. Your body will love the challenge, and you will love the result.

Watching TV shows can become a sort of addiction, and this is why it’s wise to limit the time you spend watching, especially if you have other plans, obligations, or deadlines. However, spending a day or a weekend comfortably snuggled with a blanket and a glass of vine and watching your favorite series is not a bad thing.

from Feedster http://www.feedster.com/blog/marcusjensen/how-does-binge-watching-affect-the-way-we-enjoy-tv/

Managing Performance: 3 Ways To Strengthen Productivity And Reduce Costs

At the end of the day, productivity is what truly matters to every organization, no matter how big or small the area of operation is. Slack time for tasks completed has recently caught the eye of managers round the globe as the world goes through a truly breakneck transformation.
Technological advancements make redundant every previously successful policy ruthlessly and add to the mix, the pressures of a post-recession economy, it’s not a good time to let the noose lose and be comfortable with things happening on their own. Gauging productivity and performance levels is one thing and increasing them to match competition is another.
However, there are some successful strategies which, if employed to the minutest detail, can help managers control and then increase productivity levels to match their requirements. Employees disengaged from their work have an approximate cost of $550 Billion to US Employers per year. By just looking at the amount of revenue we lose through disengagement, the emphasis on improving productivity multiplies manifold.
During the course of this article, the 3 concrete ways to tackle these disengagement problems will be discussed which will definitely help those who need to offset this predicament which is slowing their pace down and making them vulnerable.

GROW Model:

No one likes being controlled and hundreds of bloody revolutions are testament to this fact. Employers should also understand this most basic of human traits and take actions to neutralize it as much as possible. The GROW Model which stands for Goals, Reality, Options & Will is a tool to achieve the same. It makes the employee less dependent by providing him/her a structure to accomplish tasks by linking together his/her aspirations, present situations, possibilities and the relevant actions. It’s the perfect personification of “Means to an end”.

Opening Up At Both Ends:

Most of the problems if not all stem from the issue that people don’t communicate themselves or there are some barriers to communication that continuously cause hindrance towards achieving progress. Bureaucracy and a closed organizational structure is bound to foster frustration which is one of the prime instigators of disengagement. Employers should emphasize on the fact that employees are heard and their issues are promptly resolved whether they are related to policies that they don’t like or a senior who scolds too much on the slightest of mistakes. Once grievances start getting out of the system, employees will become happier, (Hawthorne studies anyone?). Everyone likes being given attention, even if the problems can’t be solved, it eases off the burden they carry in their hearts. Undoubtedly, performance will increase if employers become more open to communication with their employees. “Let them be heard” is the name of the game.

Relieving The Stress Of Monotony:

People get bored quite easily, especially when the job they are required to do stays the same over and over again. When boredom starts seeping into something, performance goes down. Employees who get bored will look to get disengaged from their jobs and start searching for distractions. This is an area of huge concern for employers. Obesity and mental problems are also signs that employees are doing jobs that is taking a toll on their minds and bodies as well. In order to stay healthy in the office and alleviate these concerns, constant motivation should be provided along with some good incentives like extra increments, paid recreational retreats among others as per the organizational policy which should be provided to employees to keep their morale at optimum level throughout the day.

Performance management is an issue that has been written about extensively but in the end it’s all about implementation. We can provide expensive highly professional training to our employees that are flashy and wordy but it’s us – the employer who understands what our employees really need. It’s a “fit to match” customized approach that will vary from organization to organization but it’s the only way out of a $550 billion mess we currently find ourselves in for apparently avoidable reasons.

from Feedster http://www.feedster.com/blog/zyanamorris/managing-performance-3-ways-to-strengthen-productivity-and-reduce-costs/

How Using Project Management Software Can Benefit Your Business

There are various project management software solutions that can help small, medium, or large businesses that have a lot of tasks organize themselves. The most popular project management software are usually web-based platforms that can be accessed from any location that has internet connection. Each of these pieces of software has unique features; however, they all have similar benefits to business organizations. The business landscape is changing quickly, and technology is one of the biggest factors that affects these changes.

Better collaboration

In frequent occasions, employees get assigned to perform individual tasks, but these tasks are in fact part of some large scale project on which the whole team within a certain organization works. With project management software, your employees can easily collaborate by sharing their opinion, commenting, posting status updates or by sharing documents. Most of these software solutions offer cloud storage space, meaning that they can upload or download files that are important. Not only that they will be available for everyone involved in the project, but these files will be secure and protected, as nobody can access them without permission.

Delegating tasks

Each and every business owner knows the employees hired in their company, their skills, weaknesses and strengths. And, every manager or owner delegates tasks to their workers based on their attributes. By using project management software, delegating tasks will be much easier and more precise. These platforms give you the option of assigning roles to the people involved in a certain project, and by doing so, every employee will know what their task is, who they should talk to when they have concerns or questions and where they can find relevant information that concerns their job.

 

Keeping with the schedule

All project management platforms have the option of adding the starting date and the due date. Not only this, but they give managers or business owners the option to outline all the mini-tasks or phases of the project and set dates for them as well. All of this valuable information will alert workers to stay on their toes and notify them about upcoming deadlines. This helps people organize their time as well and complete tasks before the due date has passed. A lot of project management platforms even have features that send employees emails to notify them when some project is approaching its due date.

 

Tracking project development

Project management software gives managers and business owners the option to keep track of progress. Usually, a piece of software has the ability to notify relevant people when some task has been completed, what else needs to be done and by whom. Employees can easily update people with whom they are working on a project, or the project manager, so that everyone is on the same page. This completely removes the need for email communication or meetings, as people can tackle important communication on the go. Furthermore, by being able to keep track of the whole picture, managers can quickly update their clients if needed.

 

Snapshots

When you are training new people or hiring new employees, it is important that you introduce those people to ongoing projects and the progress you made thus far. With project management software, you can easily take a snapshot of all the work you already finished on a certain project and share it so that new staff members can get up-to-speed quickly. A snapshot can show a person everything concering a particular project, all the way from the beginning. You will only have to give some additional background information, so that they can understand how the project should be developed in the future.

Each and every modern business organization should have project management software. This is how your business will be more efficient and professional and this leads to increasing your overall success. Employees are becoming more tech-friendly with each passing day, and they welcome bringing new tech solutions to the work environment. What is even better is the fact that these platforms are not expensive, and all businesses, no matter their size or industry, can find a suitable platform.

from Feedster http://www.feedster.com/blog/nmanojlovic/how-using-project-management-software-can-benefit-your-business/

Cool Ways Students Can Keep Their Minds Active this Summer

When summer hits, staying cool is hard—keeping your mind active during the summer is pretty hard, too! As a student, whether you’re in high school or college, you deserve this break to relax and rejuvenate before the year ahead. This is a time to enjoy your hobbies, catch up with your friends and family, and enjoy the outdoors. However, just because you aren’t in school doesn’t mean you should completely abandon all mental activity. There are plenty of ways to keep your mind active during the summer that don’t involve diving into a textbook. Read on to learn more!

1. Practice your writing

Whether you are a high school student off to college in the next few years, or a college student off to the real world in a few years, writing is instrumental in nearly every field. Practice your writing over the summer by writing in ways you wouldn’t at school. Consider starting a journal and writing personal narratives. You could also start a blog about something you’re interested in and share it with friends and family. Maybe try different restaurants in your neighborhood and write reviews of them, write recaps of your favorite shows, or start a blog on your favorite sports team. This practice will be fun and pay off in the future.

2. Read (for pleasure!)

When you have required reading throughout the school year, it can be difficult to find time to read things that you enjoy. And if you’re reading textbooks and material that you aren’t enamored with, it can even be easy to forget how enjoyable reading is. It can be tough at first to find the right book for you, but with your free time this summer, try reading a variety of books until you find your genre. Make reading more fun by enjoying it with friends. Consider starting a book club where everyone reads the same books and discusses them at the end. (How about even doing this outside in the sunshine?) It’s always fun talking with friends about your reaction to the book, and don’t forget to bring the snacks!

3. Volunteer for a good cause

Unlike a job or an internship, many volunteer projects can be done on your schedule, meaning you can choose to volunteer once a week or even once a month. Volunteering is great for so many reasons. First, you are giving back and you have the ability to choose which way you do so. Maybe your passion is animals, helping children, or the environment. No matter what you care about, there is a cause out there you can help with. Within each cause, there are always a variety of needs. Many organizations need volunteers to help with anything from building to assisting with social media. Choose to help out in the way where your strengths and passions can be used. Volunteering helps keep your mind active as you gain skills working with other volunteers and complete a variety of projects.

4. Play some games

Summer can still be fun and games and a good chance to grow as well. Many games and activities that are fun and entertaining are also great ways to expand your mind. Puzzles on a rainy day are a great way to keep the brain active, for instance. Sudoku puzzles and crosswords are also great short activities to stimulate your mind. When it’s nice out, any activity that requires exercise is a great way to spend your time. Whether it’s swimming laps, participating in a softball or kickball league, or jogging daily, these activities will keep both your brain and body active.

There are countless activities you can do all summer that are fun and mind-stimulating. While summer is a wonderful time to relax, consider choosing relaxing activities that will also grow your mind.
Brittany Phillips is a contributing writer for Varsity Tutors, a live learning platform that connects students with personalized instruction to accelerate academic achievement.

from Feedster http://www.feedster.com/blog/varsitytutors/cool-ways-students-can-keep-their-minds-active-this-summer/

Plan a Perfect Birthday Party for Your Kid

 

Planning a birthday party for your kid can be a trying and challenging experience, since you want every little detail to be perfect and for everything to go as planned. You want to provide your child with a memorable experience that will leave a long-lasting impression. That kind of situation can put every parent in a lot of stress, but you can avoid that by employing certain strategies that will ensure that the whole process of planning and the party afterwards turn out to be the most amazing experience ever.

You should put everything on paper and set your budget at least a week before the big day, so that you know which direction to take when planning the party. Children often feel that the sky’s the limit, so you need to set the level of expectation with your kid and determine all the fundamental things about the party. You need to lay the foundation of the party and discuss certain questions with the birthday boy or girl, such as who is going to attend and where the party is going to take place.

Once you have the answers to all the essential questions, you can start planning the perfect day for your kid. After all, it’s a once-a-year event, so you should really try and make it as special as possible.

 

Game Time at Home

 

Kids will be kids, so you should have a gameplan with a lot of fun activities prepared. You can prepare board games, have kids play hide-and-seek around the house, play musical chairs with them – whatever fun activity comes to mind that the kids will enjoy for a while.

There are quite a lot of very entertaining games that each and every kid at the party will enjoy, so make sure you prepare a plan, so that you have time for everything – from playing games and having snacks to opening presents and taking pictures.

Speaking of snacks, every kid knows that, when there’s a party, there are great snacks and treats. They usually can’t wait for the cake, but before cake time, you can make burgers, pizza, tacos and hot dogs – anything kids find yummy and interesting. Don’t forget about different sodas, as well as water bottles; to make a balance. The kids will certainly need food and refreshment after hours of running around and having fun.

 

Head Outside for Some More Fun!

 

Every kid likes playing outside, so take them to the backyard for a little scavenger hunt, a blind man’s bluff or another hide-and-seek adventure. It goes without saying that you need to have eyes on them at all times, so it would be great if you’d invite some of the kids’ parents to help you out with the little ones. They would surely be glad to help and some of the kids may even feel more relaxed with their parents present.

You can also organize a field trip to the park or some camping site nearby, where the kids could enjoy exploring nature and playing out in the open. They could play football, capture the flag or any other group game that includes teams competing with one another, since kids will absolutely love that.

 

Set for a Real Adventure

 

After hours of running and playing, you can take the kids for an adventure they will never forget. Take them to meet Australian wildlife by going to the Reptile Encounters interactive reptile show. They can get acquainted with Australia’s amazing fauna and not only get a chance to see and touch some of the extraordinary animals, but also learn a lot about them. They can take photos with all the wildlife there, as well as get a taste of the fantastic cake afterwards to complete their experience. It would definitely be a perfect ending to a perfect day.
If you manage to ideally plan the party for your kid’s birthday, your kid’s special day will most certainly turn out to be one of the greatest birthdays ever. The party will be the talk of the town and everyone will look forward to having another one next year; especially your kid. Follow this guide and you will definitely make your kid the happiest one in the world.

from Feedster http://www.feedster.com/blog/aleksandarilic/plan-a-perfect-birthday-party-for-your-kid/

Top 3 Things to Do When in Tallinn

Tallinn is one of the most beautiful cities in Europe and it is definitely a city that you must visit at least once in your life. Estonia’s capital is the largest city in the country and it is one of the most stunning destinations offering a perfect mix of the old and the new. If you decide to visit it, you can be sure that it can make your stay amazing with its rich cultural scene and the breathtaking historical setting.

There are quite a lot of interesting things to do and sights to see in Tallinn and the best part about it is that this city is not at all among the expensive ones, so you can even save money on your travels. It boasts a number of museums and other cultural spots, and you can greatly enrich your life if you visit some of its most popular sights that attract loads of tourists throughout the year. If Tallinn is your next travel destination, read on to find out what you can do to turn your trip into the most amazing experience in your life.

 

Explore the Enchanting Alleys of the Old Town

 

Tallinn is the only city in Europe that has completely preserved its medieval structure and its Old Town is the best proof of that. It remains completely the same as when it was establishment, making Tallinn one of the most stunning cities in the world. With its Gothic Town Hall on the Old Town square, its cobblestone streets, medieval churches and fantastic architecture, this part of the city is definitely the most enchanting one and its spirit can take you back to the Middle Ages.

St. Catherine’s Passage is the most popular part of the Old Town among tourists and you can witness a lot of artwork there, so be sure to take a walk through this beautiful alley.

 

Visit the Kumu Art Museum

 

Kumu Art Museum is one of the largest museums in Estonia and it represents one of the five branches of the Art Museum of Estonia. It houses both classical and contemporary art, appealing to a wide range of people and attracting visitors from all over the world. The museum itself is a beautiful work of art and it is considered one of the most mesmerizing architectural masterpieces.

When you visit Tallinn, you should definitely not miss the opportunity to go to one of the several permanent Kumu exhibitions, as well as some of the temporary modern painting and sculpture exhibits that will certainly leave a lasting impression on you.

 

Take a Stroll through the Kadriorg Park

 

The Kadriorg Park is definitely the heart of the city and it is home to many small museums, as well as the Kadriorg Palace, which is the city’s greatest building. The park has many historical wooden houses and beautiful fountains. Taking a casual walk through it will be one of the most breathtaking experiences ever.

This park has a special charm, not only because of its natural beauties, but also because of its amazing art scene. It is home to Kadriorg Art Museum, Kumu Art Museum and Adamson-Eric Museum, making the park one of the most sophisticated parts of Tallinn. If you go there in spring, you will be especially awed by the park’s beauty and you will certainly wish you can visit it every single day.
If you plan on staying in Tallinn for a few days, make sure you book a hotel in advance, so that you can be completely relaxed upon your arrival and be free to immediately start discovering all of the city’s hidden gems. If you want to visit all of the most popular attractions of Tallinn and explore each and every one of its amazing sights, including art museums, galleries, parks and cathedrals, make sure that you contact a car rental service to provide you with an opportunity of having the most pleasant and fulfilled Tallinn experience. Don’t postpone your perfect holiday any longer – pack your bags, take your passport and go visit one of the most stunning cities in the world. Have a nice trip!

from Feedster http://www.feedster.com/blog/ivandseo/top-3-things-to-do-when-in-tallinn/

3 Spring-Cleaning Tasks to End the School Year Strong

Spring is a beautiful time of year. The sun is shining, the flowers are poking out, and the countdown until summer vacation officially begins. However, as the temperature gets higher, make sure your motivation doesn’t drop. Springtime should be a time of enthusiasm and renewed energy; think of an animal coming out of hibernation. All your excuses should melt away like the lingering snow and you should use this time to get on track before the school year officially ends. Spring cleaning isn’t just for closets and attics; it’s time to spring clean every aspect of your life and finish out the year strong.

1. Consolidate your class notes

If your backpack and locker look like a hurricane just passed through, it’s time to clean up and get organized. It’s a natural tendency to shove old notes and homework into a folder after the material has been tested and is over, but with many finals, it’s vital that you revisit old material. Go through your binders, notebooks, and folders and throw away all the junk, while keeping all of the important information. How do you know if something is important? Look back at your syllabi and see what will be tested on the final. You should also consider meeting with your teacher and asking about the content. This will show initiative, and ensure you are keeping the right materials.

Even if you don’t have a cumulative final, look through your materials to see what you will want to keep for next year. Your math notes may help you understand a difficult concept in the coming years, or the findings from your English lit paper may come in handy to reference in an upcoming class. Some of your work from high school may even help you learn during college courses.

2. Organize your summer schedule

During the springtime, it is essential to establish summer plans. Will you be taking classes over the summer to get ahead with your credits? This requires some early research on class availability and enrollment. Perhaps you will take classes at your high school or at a local community college. You may consider finding a tutor to help you prep for the ACT or SAT. Will you be participating in summer sports, building your teamwork and work ethic skills? This requires finding the teams you want to join ahead of time.

Perhaps you will be visiting colleges that you are interested in, meaning you should start creating your roadmap right now. Many colleges offer tours and official visit days, but you need to reserve space and be in contact with the university beforehand. Perhaps you will be building your resume by volunteering. If so, you will need to think about your passions and skills and find a gig that matches these, and then contact that place. Many places that accept volunteers require you complete an application, which may take several weeks to be filtered through, so the earlier you start, the better!

Another option is to secure a summer job or internship, to build your skills and potentially your bank account. Applying for both summer jobs and internships takes time, as most require applications, letters of recommendation, cover letters, resumes, and sometimes more. This process could take several weeks, if not months. If you want to secure a summer job, you need to start soon.

All of these options take planning, which needs to begin now. You should focus on organizing your summer schedule so you have the maximum amount of productivity, but don’t forget to schedule some relaxation in there as well. After all, you’ve earned it!

3. Clean up your attitude

Whether you are a freshman, a senior, or somewhere in between, everyone can catch a bit of senioritis as the school year winds down. But it’s time to change your attitude and reboot your motivation. Don’t let the last few weeks of school ruin a whole semester of hard work. With finals—whether they are tests, presentations, or projects—around the corner, this is no time to slack. And although you may want to spend your afternoons outside playing sports or relaxing by the pool, you must set aside time to study and finish your classwork. While countdown calendars until the last day of school can serve as motivation, don’t let them be an excuse to totally check out.
Brittany Phillips is a contributing writer for Varsity Tutors, a live learning platform that connects students with personalized instruction to accelerate academic achievement.

from Feedster http://www.feedster.com/blog/varsitytutors/3-spring-cleaning-tasks-to-end-the-school-year-strong/

Digital Marketing Toolbox Essentials

Doing digital marketing without proper tools is like trying to plow a field with a shovel. Most of the tools that are available today were created by marketers for their colleagues in order to increase efficiency and productivity. Full marketing automation is not here yet, but there are certain things that simply can not be done by hand. In most cases that is keeping track of all those important metrics of websites and social media. In the following article we present you with 4 of the most important tools every SEO should at least try out.

BuzzSumo

All of us use social media in a similar manner, more or less. We see, hear or read something that we consider interesting and then share it with our friends/followers, thus spreading that piece of content to even wider population.

In some cases humans are predictable and we might say that at certain times there is a type of content which is bound to have high share counts. That is where BuzzSumo comes in handy to marketers. This tool is all about social media, as it searches the internet for user generated keywords and displays the most shared content. It will allow you to filter out the dates, languages, TLDs and other important metrics. With fresh topics that draw in social media users attention, all that’s left is for you to write high quality content, as it’s not the headlines that deserve sharing, but compelling content.

Google Keyword Planner

The successor to Google Keyword Tool, GKP is maybe one of the most important tools SEO needs. Figuring out all the important keywords your business should rank for presents a cornerstone of every digital marketing strategy according to Online Marketing Gurus SEO agency.

Using Google Keyword Planner is actually quite easy. Upon creation of your AdWords account (yes, GKP is connected to AdWords), it asks you to fill in some basic info about you and your business. Once you finish setting up your account it’s time to pull out your first keywords.

First up you’ll need to enter a few niche keywords that are a bit more specific terms, for example New York Restaurant or New York Cuisine, since Google’s examples which include flowers or used cars are too broad and you’ll probably end up with too competitive keywords. Entering your landing page is important for AdWords and in some cases it will extract some specific keywords you forgot about, but could be competitive.

The third option from this group lets you choose your industry. This is a nifty little feature which enables GKP to rummage through it’s internal keywords database and give you something you might have missed initially.

The rest of the options are for localisation, as well as filtering keywords by search volume, price, impressions and competition. You can also manually exclude or include specific keywords.

Ahrefs

Essentially used for link analysis, Ahrefs has since evolved into a complete SEO tool. Ahrefs’ key features are Domain Authority measurement, page URL rating, number of inbound links and linking domains, list of anchors and many more. Everything you need to do to get this “machine” rolling is to enter the url of the website you want to analyze into search field and kick back.

Once the analysis is complete you will have to know what is it that you are looking for. The domain authority is derived from the number and quality of backlinks pointing to your website, as well as the age of your domain. Overall number of links is a pretty clear metric, however, you should be wary of high number of links with a small number of referring domains, which is an indication of a low quality website. You will also see keywords data for the website in question with both organic and paid keywords displayed.

Ahrefs also includes content explorer which can be used in two ways. Firstly, you can explore content based on entered keywords – just like in BuzzSumo. Secondly, you will bi prompted with top content for a domain you’ve explored as a part of Ahrefs’ search.

Ahrefs is a great overall SEO tool which combines great features of several different tools like BuzzSumo, MOZ, SEMRush, and others. However, don’t get mislead by this statement as it can not completely replace these tools since they were made to do one thing and one thing only, while Ahrefs – asides from doing great job with backlink analysis – does a bit from everything.

Sidekick

This tool comes in the form of a Google Chrome extension for Gmail. It is a versatile little tool that will come in handy in numerous occasions. It displays a notification every time someone opens an email you sent them. Not only that, it can also display when a link or an attachment in a mail have been opened. This can come be useful when you need to follow up on an email you’ve sent some time ago.

Once you enter someone’s email address into gmail sidekick, it will display all of the information it has on that person, those usually being job info, company info, twitter, facebook and linkedin profiles.
As always, there are some things which are better done in traditional ways. For example, in most cases it’s best to send less personalized emails than thousands of templated messages as you will probably get higher response rate with a more personal approach. There are numerous occasions in which this is the case, but when working with metrics and website statistics, it’s best to join forces with any of the abovementioned tools in order to get the most out of your time.

from Feedster http://www.feedster.com/blog/marcusjensen/digital-marketing-toolbox-essentials/

7 Reasons Why Your Website Needs to Be Responsive

We are sure that you have heard this before, perhaps too many times, but your website needs to be responsive. Mobile has replaced desktop as a primary device for internet browsing and the number of people who are using smaller screens when browsing is increasing. Mobile is here to stay and businesses are focusing on the mobile users. We bet you are wondering why?

Well, first of all, a responsive website makes browsing through mobile simpler and automatically adapts to the size of the screen of the device that it is viewed on. This takes care of the optimization issues and there is no need for building and maintaining several websites for different devices that is extremely inefficient and impractical. This is not all, so read on to find out what are the reasons why your website needs to be responsive.

Everyone Is On Mobile

Nowadays smartphones are not considered to be exceptions and we are living in a society where excessive usage of smartphones is something that is considered normal. Today over one billion of people are accessing the web from their mobile devices and over 80% of internet users are smartphone users; simply put, if someone is online, it is likely that they are on their smartphones. This statistics is only the beginning of the story, we believe that these numbers will be bigger in the future. So, you need to think mobile, simply because everyone is on mobile.

When On Mobile, Users Behave Differently

In theory, the same people are behind both desktop and mobile traffic, but they behave differently across their devices. Even though they have a limited bandwidth, they consume a really high amount of all visual media, where their major focus is on images and short videos. Websites like Instagram and Vine have achieved massive success just because they offered solely images and videos. For capturing this kind of traffic you are going to need an optimized design to harness the power of these types of media in order to engage your users.

Almost 50% of Web Traffic Is Mobile

There is no such thing as a business owner who is not interested in increasing traffic. Mobile media consumption is over 20% higher than desktop, meaning that almost 50% of all digital media consumption and web traffic is via mobile. So, if you are interested, as a business owner, in attracting mobile traffic, you need to think mobile and engage your visitors with visual types of media.

 

Mobile Users Are More Likely To Buy

Mobile users are actually spending more than desktop users, because smartphone users are the ones who account for the lowest dollar amount per every transaction. They make small and frequent purchases, so, if your business is selling something that is below $10, people who are mobile users are an ideal target audience for your business. The users of tablets have the highest average transaction compared to other devices and that includes desktop. Even these users won’t shop from your website if your mobile UX is poor.

 

They Tend To Switch Screens

Almost 90% of people tend to switch between devices in order to accomplish their goals, meaning that even if you receive the bulk of your conversions via desktop, users will also engage with your website via mobile devices in one point of the whole sale process. In many cases when users are bored, they are searching for things that interest them, after that they move on to a desktop to finalize the purchase after they have previously found something they would like to buy. So, if your website cannot handle screens of different sizes, you will be missing out on sales.

 

Google Cares For Responsive Design

For quite some time now, Google has been favoring mobile friendliness in its rankings, but recently the stakes have been raised; having a responsive website is more important for Google than gathering organic traffic. Some of the latest Google’s algorithm update there are significant penalties for those websites that are not meeting the standards for mobile optimization. So, if you want to seriously improve the traffic of your website, or just keep the current one, your website needs to be optimized for mobile users.

 

Having a Great Mobile Website Will Differentiate Your Brand

If you have reached to the point that your brand still needs website optimization, you might feel that you need to catch up. This is true to some extent, but the reality is that many websites are still not optimized for mobile. A little over 50% of websites run by small businesses are responsive. You may wonder what this will mean for your business, well, you can have a fantastic opportunity to differentiate your brand from the competition. According to statistics, almost half of your competitors have websites that are not optimized, and the ones who have already implemented responsive design are probably not doing it in the right way.

If your website does not load fast enough, visitors will most likely abandon it and not return, but with a responsive design load times are better and faster. The first step in optimizing your website is implementing a responsive website design. To achieve the best result consider hiring some of the best responsive web design companies based on client reviews. After that you need to optimize your marketing efforts within your mobile responsive design, where you will take into consideration how customers are engaged and adjust your website accordingly.

from Feedster http://www.feedster.com/blog/ivandseo/7-reasons-why-your-website-needs-to-be-responsive/

4 Ways Big Data can Enhance Financial Firms’ Customer Service Level

The latest tech jargon –‘Big Data’ and associated technologies have been penetrating the business world at a rapid pace. The explosion of huge
data volumes growing at an exponential speed has potential to bring business value for a wide range of industries. Considering, the speed at which data is budding up, it is predicted that by the year 2020, 1.7 megabytes of new information will be created every second for every human being on the planet.

Health care, hotels, manufacturing, management to financial firms are consuming potential of data and analytics and emerging technologies
to drive game-changing business results. And taking into account, the rising number of frauds and risks associated with customer’s data; many financial firms have started to take the leverage of big data which is enabling them to serve multiple purposes. The proliferation of data has opened up new business opportunities for financial firms. This pool of data emerging every day, every minute is enabling not just financial firms but also, other small to mid-sized enterprises to enhance their customer service level and add potential to their overall business functioning.

Simplified Fraud Management

Nowadays, as almost every business is striving to make its online presence; businesses are becoming more prone to cyber crimes. Recently, Juniper Research predicted that increasing digitization of enterprise data and consumers’ lives will elevate the cost of data breaches to $2.1 trillion globally by 2019, rising to almost four times the estimated data breach costs in 2015.

In light of growing cyber security concerns, financial companies, SMBs, and other companies need to identify, restrain and handle fraud risks and financial crimes across all of their verticals. Any potential risk and fraud need to be managed strategically, considering the customer-centric nature and complex framework of financial institutions’ comprising several facets such as managing investments, risk management, credit card lenders.

Thankfully, big data technologies have simplified the task of mitigating fraud and financial risks. By taking the leverage of machine learning, big data tools and analytics, financial firms can earn a comprehensive view of customers, recognize patterns hidden in data, assemble the similar data, and differentiate false from the right activity. There are various analytical tools increasingly becoming common among businesses to manage risk and dilute customer service churn.

 

Customers’ Data Segmentation and Sentiment Analysis

Big data tools have brought a radical change in the customers’ journey. Banking and financial firms can group customers into sections based on
customers’ preferences, behavioral patterns, demographic information, daily transactional data, interaction data received from several customer touch points such as merchant records, call centers, home value data.

Further, these data sets can be analyzed to channelize banking products and services, plan services, sales, marketing campaigns distinctly for
each group of customers. This helps to improve the efficiency of marketing campaigns and serve specifically each customer’s demand conveniently.

Customers’ communicate with your brands via a variety of channels such as social media, digital ads, mobile apps. Using big data analytics marketers can analyze the complete customer’s data across various channels at the same time. Brand promoters can gain valuable insights on customers’ response to banking products and services via product review sites, social media and ensure customer
satisfaction. Also, such analysis helps to respond timely to emerging problems effectively.

Robust Risk Management Strategies

Businesses need a fresh approach and robust technologies for retrieval and analysis of data exploding in huge variety and at a great velocity from a plethora of sources comprising business apps, social media, archives, sensor data, emails, and documents. Data emerging in immense volume
has created huge possibilities for its analysis in real-time.

Financial firms can take the leverage of big data tools and technologies to confront avalanche of risks comprising operational risks, credit
risks, compliance risks, market or liquidity risks that can put a significant impact on business profitability. By incorporating revolutionary
potential of big data, risk managers can offer more comprehensive risk coverage, exponentially enhance the system response times, ensure
regulatory compliance in time and accurately and produce immense cost savings.

Big data tool and technology when combined with complex event processing (CEP) and high performance computing (HPC) can enable enterprises to manage large volume of data and unlock actionable insights for financial risk management. It offers possibilities for advanced statistical analysis and instantly
identifies the hidden networks between transactions and accounts and unlocks fishy transactional patterns.

 

Better Wealth Management

In this digital age, financial firms are increasingly embracing the real-time payment modes which have led to get a better view of customers spending habits. Payments processed in real-time have enabled a smooth shift from cash-based economy to digitized-payment space by surpassing the procedure of administering centralized clearing and settlement operations.

Big data analytics linking with customers’ bill pay data and past financial behavior can help financial institutions to manage its finances in a better way. This data-driven approach can assist in evaluating the impact delays in loan payment can bring on banks bottom line. Hence, big data tools are growing as the fundamental driver for gaining insights of customer needs.

Thus, by utilizing big data potential to the fullest financial institutions can enhance profitability, simplify the process of wealth management and provides customers secured individualized experience.

Wrapping it up:

Big data technology integration with data emerging in all forms and sizes allows users to make more productive and informed business decisions. This data-driven approach drives better business strategies. Hence, proliferation of data is opening up seamless possibilities to get 360-degree view of customers and create smarter enterprises.

Author Bio:

Shraddha Tewari, skilled and accomplished ‘Editor’ is formally associated with AceCloudHosting that offers services related to quickbooks cloud. In a nutshell, she can be best described as an elusive reader and a technology evangelist. Her strong interest in cloud technology and software developments enables her associations to streamline business processes. She can be followed @tewarishraddha1

from Feedster http://www.feedster.com/blog/twitter-tewarishraddha1/4-ways-big-data-can-enhance-financial-firms-customer-service-level/