#the option to insert links seems broken at present

[madamspeaker]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/10/13/pelosi-lessons-next-gop-speaker-house/

When progressive hard-liners used to come to Nancy Pelosi with yet with another unrealistic demand for action from their wish list, the then-speaker had a standard reply ready: “I agree with you. I have those signs in my basement from 30 years ago. But right now, you’re in the Congress of the United States. We’re not on the streets with the signs.”

Pelosi would tell them that when they had 218 votes behind them, a majority in the House, she’d be happy to talk to them again: “But otherwise, recognize that we have to build consensus ... and live to fight another day.”

The speaker’s role comes with many such moments, she recalled in an interview in her office on Thursday; as we talked, Republicans who now hold a tenuous majority in the House were huddled across the street in the Capitol, unable to come together to select their own leader to take over the wreckage that Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) has left behind.

Pelosi and others who held the gavel learned — but the deposed McCarthy never did — that one of the hardest and most vital things a speaker must do is say no, sometimes to friends and ideological allies. At times, her majority was so narrow she could afford to lose no more than three votes. But without a leader willing and powerful enough to summon that kind of fortitude, the House is ungovernable.

McCarthy’s constant appeasement of a handful of bellicose GOP members is what got us to this pitiful moment. He put their hard-line legislation on the floor knowing it would go no further, gave them key committee assignments — and even signed what was effectively the death warrant of his own speakership by agreeing to allow the rule in which any member could call for a vote to vacate the chair.

All of this should be an object lesson to whoever gets the job next. As departing speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) advised his own successor, Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.): “You can promise effort, but don’t promise results.” Both Boehner and Ryan saw their leadership undermined by the demands of a rising hard-right faction within their party, but it was McCarthy who ceded effective control of the chamber to them.

“Part of the job of the speaker is to manage reality rather than fantasy,” former speaker Newt Gingrich (R-Ga.) told me.

For Pelosi, who had a solidly liberal record, an early test came shortly after Democrats regained their majority in the 2006 election and elevated her to the speakership. The big issue in that election had been the Iraq War, and she had been one of the most outspoken opponents to it. Which is why many in her caucus felt betrayed when she did not stand in the way of Congress providing more funds for the conflict without insisting on a clear timetable for ending it — an end date that would not pass the Senate nor survive George W. Bush’s veto.

“My message to them was, I’ll compare my credentials on opposing this war to anybody here, but as long as the troops are at war, we must support them,” Pelosi recalled. “I basically said to them, we all support the troops. But we have to do it when it’s difficult as well as when it’s easy.”

In 1996, Gingrich brought legislation raising the minimum wage to the House floor — a popular measure conservatives were against and yet knew would pass with a combination of Democratic and more moderate GOP support.

In that year’s election, “we had 23 districts where members thought they would lose if they didn’t get a vote,” Gingrich told me. It was an especially bitter pill to swallow for Majority Leader Dick Armey (R-Tex.), who opposed the very existence of a minimum wage. And yet, Armey argued in a private meeting, the survival of their majority hinged on allowing the House to work its collective will.

When Boehner was speaker, one of his closest friends in the House would regularly come to his office and plead for a seat on the powerful Energy and Commerce Committee. Boehner would hear out the member, then tell him: “Not gonna happen.”

But now “the reality is we have a lot of members who have distorted views of what’s possible,” said Brendan Buck, a former aide to both Boehner and Ryan.

It might be that only one of the bomb-throwers themselves — say, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) — would have the credibility it takes to say no to them, though there is little evidence he has that capacity for pragmatism and respect for the institution. Or maybe it has to be a graybeard such as Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.), who is respected across the various factions within a party that is squabbling with a pettiness that would put a small-town city council to shame.

But someone has to do it. At this moment of peril for the country, and the world, there is too much at stake for any new speaker to continue indulging the least responsible actors in Congress. Is there a grown-up in the House?

[kandikorne]

What’s Left of Me [BTS AU]

Words: 3.6 K

Summary: Jungkook was a typical college student. Nothing interesting there, his only friend, Kim Seokjin, or as he calls him, Jin, is terribly ill with an unknown illness that not even the doctors can prescribe. One night Jin asks Jungkook if he wants to play a game. Only the game isn’t what Jungkook thought. But it’s just a game right? What’s the worst that could happen?

Genre: Angst, Mature Content, Horror/Thriller. 

~ ~ ~

It was nearing midnight as Jungkook had arrived back to his flat after a long drive across town just to deliver some notes and cards to Jin, who was currently running a fever with a mysterious illness. The doctors weren't even a hundred percent sure what was wrong with Jin, maybe it was a strain of pneumonia?   

Yeah that has to be it, thought Jungkook as he slid off his shoes and went straight to his computer, he logged on and started to type up his essay on emotions and how they play into day to day life, but the emotion his professor gave him was quite difficult. It was sadness.

Sure the assignment was simple and all but never really experiencing true sadness he didn't know how to start it off. Besides a cheesy quote about feeling broken and alone. 

He felt like he was about to go insane, he never felt true sadness and he was sure his professor would want it to be about something really depressing over just, ‘I lost my pet cat named Pete,’ but something more.

WIth a loud beep his phone went off alerting him of a text from Jin:

 "Kookie thank you for the study materials!" 

Jungkook smiled and was about to send him a response when Jin replied again:

 "Have you played What's Left of Me? Or heard of it?"

“Honestly no... What is it?” 

Before Jin responded Jungkook reread the name of the game and typed it in on his search bar for What’s Left of Me, all that popped up was a book. Frowning he knew this is not what his hyung meant so he went back to the search bar and tweaked his search adding Game. What popped up was Google claiming an error that Google was not responding. 

“Odd...” He muttered before he tried to open a new tab only for the new same message to reappear. “You have to be kidding me,” he groaned and continually refreshed only to keep getting the same message and that Google had crashed. 

“Why?!” He exclaimed, brows furrowing as he looked over at his phone only to see a video link from Jin. Clicking it he heard a soft female voice, practically whispering all while there was a black screen. 

“Hi... I’m not gonna introduce myself because what’s the point.... Well obviously you’re here for my game What’s Left of Me. The game’s a bit different than your average game, there’s no shooting of others but decisions and story based themes, you the Player decides what happens. Nothing is reversible so play how you feel but do it carefully. I am giving you the extent of five players to choose from and that is all. Thank you for your consideration and I hope you enjoy.” 

The video ended causing a frown to play on the young males features as he texted his hyung. 

“That gave me the chills. Her voice was so sad, yet so familiar. WHY WAS SHE WHISPERING???” 

Sent from Jin at 12:03

“I like how her video was, her voice was soft and peaceful as it captures your attention immediately. I’m ready to play it!” 

Sent from Jungkook at 12:03

“Ok... Did you download it?”

Sent from Jin

“Yea are you going to Kookie?”

Sent from Jungkook

“It won’t even let me view the game.”

Sent From Jin

“Restart your computer.” 

Why, thought the younger male but did as told, he waited for the system to reload and as it did their was a new file on his computer. WHAT’S LEFT OF ME in all caps. “How did this get here?” Scared Jungkook looked around his dark room but nothing was out of place, he even scanned his computer for a virus. Nada.

“Did it work?” Texted Jin, Jungkook could barely breathe yet alone focus on the situation at hand. How did this happen?

“Yeah the game was already on my computer somehow...” 

“Huh strange, maybe you clicked download.” Responded Jin and as he read the message he shook his head, Jin didn't seem to get it. The game just appeared. He hadn’t even had the option to download it as it never popped up when he searched it. 

“No because I couldn't even find the game when I originally searched it.” 

Sent from Jin

“Computer was probs lagging but at least you have the game now. I think I want to play Namjoon. He seems interesting. What about you?”

Sent from Jungkook

“Erm hang on let me load the game, I haven’t open it yet.”

“K.” Was all Jin said as the younger male moved his cursor over the game and clicked open. As the game was loading an eerie song was playing in the background, Hell it wasn’t even a song, more so screeching and loud crashes.  Every now and then the screen would glitch out and he’d get a brief glance at a girls face. He was only at 10% as the game completely froze except for the song which was on an endless loop and began repeating the word why over and over as the depressed girls face froze on screen before him, a single tear running down her smooth skin.

“You left us...” She whispered before the game automatically shut down and sent Jungkook staring at his home screen, eyes wide and breathing rapid. “What the literal fuck,” he cursed as the game restarted and took him back to the loading screen yet it was all different. Instead of a sad song on loop and the sad girl, the game played a soft happy tune as the background was all black and the title appeared in a bloody font. What’s Left of Me the words practically dripping down the screen as a candle flickered beneath the text casting long shadows revealing a room. 

He had to admit this game had some freaky cool artwork. He clicked the title, not really sure what else to do as there was no options for the game. His options appeared before him carved into the desk that the candle was sitting on. The game title was on the gray wall behind the candle. 

Jungkook read his options slowly and wondered if Jin saw the same things as him. 

Continue Game

New Game

Leave?

Curious as to what Continue Game would do for him, since he’s never played it before and was sure no one has played it on his computer he clicked the option. The game file loaded and he was quickly inserted into a dark bathroom, a young man with copper hair, almost golden, was crying in the middle of the room. The only sounds besides the poor males soft spoken sobs was the sound of the bath running and pouring out onto the tiled floor all around the sobbing man. The game glitched and instead of water surrounding the copper haired male it was now a dark red substance which Jungkook could only assume was blood. He was no longer crying but screaming at the top of his lungs, “WHY WHY WHY!” His dark gaze looking dead at the screen, his eyes finding Jungkook’s, it was if he was was aware of Jungkook watching him. It was like the male wasn’t in the game.

Jungkook’s throat constricted with fear. The game crashed and he was back to the main menu. He most certainly wasn't going to try to continue that again unless it was his own saved progress, but even then he still didn't want to do this. 

Why is he even considering this game? For Jin, he softly reminded himself. But why did Jin even want to play this game, it was so freaky and weird. Did Jin not get the same intro as him? Maybe Jin was smarter than him and decided not to try and continue the game, speaking of the Continue Game option that was no longer present instead it said, Can’t Continue Something You Never Started or Cared For. 

Chills ran down his spine as he took a picture and went to send it to Jin who had been blowing up his cell. Jungkook didn't even read his messages from his hyung as he instantly went to send Jin the freaky message from the game. Only the test wouldn't go through, he was shot with an error. “What the Hell?” He grumbled and tried once more only for it to not send. 

“Why’s this happening? I paid my bill!” Biting his lower lip in confusion he looked at Jin’s messages and hoped his hyung would understand his technical difficulties. 

 From Jin sent at 12:10

Jungkook you there?

Hey did you start the game?

Kookie, kookie, kookie?????

Ok spam time 

Hello

What does a janitor yell at a party?

SUPPLIES! hahaha get it? Supplies 

I’m worried you alive? 

Wait are you asleep? 

If so sorry. Send a bunny emoji if you’ve been kidnapped.

I’m gonna start the game, Namjoon is pretty cool and looks good. What about you? Who will you play as, you have five options, all of them epic.

From Jin sent at 12:12 

I get it, you hate the game and you haven’t even started.

Jungkook shook his head and chuckled, Jin is so childish and impatient, he thought to himself and sent a quick apology text. Sent, he managed to send a text! His eyes widened as he tried to send the picture only the picture wouldn’t go through. 

Why was that?

Why was it that he could send an apology to Jin but not a picture? Did he not have enough storage? Was their text history too long? 

It just didn't add up. Whatever, he thought, It doesn’t even matter. It’s just a game. 

Clicking on the New Game option he was sent to a  character page. Five characters like Jin said, but there was an outline of a missing character, two actually. He hovered his cursor over both of them but all he got for their stats was:

Name: ???

Age: ???

Height: ???

Gender: ???

Description: ???

He looked at the outline and noticed the lock in the middle of their chests, he had to unlock them. How come he didn't see that when he was first looking at them? 

Whatever, just find a character and start the game so Jin won’t be upset. With a sigh he moved his over a young male with a blonde mullet, a boxy smile on his perfectly proportioned face. 

Name: Kim Taehyung. 

Age: 23

Height: 5′10 

Gender: Male

Description: Taehyung is a happy go lucky, one of a kind guy, unlike any others that you will ever encounter in life. 

Already interested and a tad bit jealous of how happy and lucky Taehyung gets to be while he, himself, is worried for Jin’s health and stressing over stupid projects that are all nearing there due date. Shoving some his hair out of his face he moved on to the next character, the one from the Continue Game option. Curious as to see what was wrong with him and who he was he began to read the stats.

Name: Worthless

Age: Does it matter? I’m just gonna fade away...

Height: Too short just like life....

Gender: Dead

Description: You let me die, it’s your fault. Why didn't you care about me? How could you let me go through with it? WHY’D YOU LEAVE ME?

Shaking his head with a low sigh escaping his lips, he wondered who was this character and why was he so depressed? But also curious of his stats, he asked Jin. 

Sent from Jungkook at 12:13

Jin who is the copper haired male after Taehyung?

Sent from Jin at 12:13

Who Jimin? Y? 

“Jimin,” whispered Jungkook softly almost as if he was testing out the name. His name was so nice compared to his description. The characters blank stare held his gaze, honestly Jungkook felt a bit guilty for this made up character. 

Sent from Jungkook at 12:15

I couldn't see his stats 4 sum reason. :/ 

Sent from Jin at 12:15

The pausing of this game is janky... Lemme go back to the lobby. Pray that my game saves

Sent from Jungkook at 12:16

I pray it saves

Sent from Jin at 12:17

Okay Name: Park Jimin Age: 22 Height: 4′8 Gender: Male duh Description he’s a chill dude with a beautiful smile.

*Height 5′8 lol he’s not that short. That’s about it.

Sent from Jungkook at 12:17

Is this some sort of dating sim?

Sent from Jin at 12:17

No most certainly not. I don;t really know what it is, but I know it’s not a dating sim. Each character has a different story, that’s all I know. 

Sent from Jungkook at 12:18

This is some srs bull.

Sent from Jin at 12:18

Please don't use acronyms Kookie. 

Jungkook laughed and shook his head at his hyungs requests when, he too, use abbreviations such as why to y.

Sent from Jungkook at 12:18

Yes boss

Sent from Jin at 12:19

😈 Lol picked your character yet?

Sent from Jungkook at 12:19

No not yet, my game’s acting up. 

Sent from Jin at 12:19

Well hurry up so you can play!!!!!

Sent from Jungkook at 12:20

Ok gimme a minute.

Placing his phone down in his lap he moved on to the next character, a tall male with silverish purple hair with deep brown eyes that seemed to be able to read your soul and a soft dimpled smile. 

Name: Kim Namjoon

Age: 23

Height: 5′11

Gender: Male

Description: A bookworm, a really hard worker with excellent grades, who’s also a natural leader. Pretty cool guy once you meet him. 

Jungkook chuckled at the last part, “once you meet him.” Like he’s gonna meet Kim Namjoon in person, he’s just a character in a video game, closest thing he’d get to meeting Namjoon is playing as him. Which he won’t because this is Jin’s character. 

The next character’s picture was sweaty, his tongue out, black hair in his eyes, as a black hat rested on his head. 

Name: Jung Hoseok

Age: 24 

Height: 5′10

Gender: Male

Description: Hoseok, Hobi, is an all around ray of sunshine, with constant happy vibes. Always there for you when you need it, remember?

He frowned, why is it like the game is talking to him directly, “Fine if I play as Hoseok or Hobi, whatever his name is I’ll remember that he’s a ray of sunshine to help others.” He grumbled but a small smile played on his features as a warm aura seemed to enclose around him. 

Moving away from the friendly happier male he moved onto the one dressed in all black, a mask covering his mouth and nose as his dark brown eyes stared at him judgingly. He was more ominous looking than scary.

Name: Min Yoongi

Age: 25

Height: 5′9 

Gender: Male 

Description: Always quiet but observant, known to stand up for those in need, tired but always working. 

Nodding his head, understanding each character he finally decided that he’s play as Taehyung. He would’ve played as Jimin if he was able to, but the game simply would not help let him. 

Starting up as Taehyung he was given the option:

Play as Kim Taehyung?

Yes?     No?

“Obviously,” he said with a chuckle as he selected, yes, the game loaded with ease, compared to when he first started the game. A small transition of a butterfly landing onto a window sill was played in the background, then he heard the sounds of a camera snapping a photo. 

“Babe,” came a male voice in the background, the loading symbol stopped as the clip began to play. The light filtered into the room showing a few dust particles floating around as the butterfly stayed on the sill slowly moving it’s beautiful blue and black wings. 

“In here,” came the females voice, the door opened and the floor groaned with the males footsteps. “Are you coming, we’re about to leave?”

“Sorry was taking a picture.”

“You’re obsessed with that thing.”

“Photos keep memories.”

“Yeah but can also steal a part of your soul.” Spoke the deep voiced male jokingly as the girl laughed. What a sound to be heard, it was like music, so carefree and soft. Jungkook wished he could listen to her laugh all day, she seemed so happy, unlike any other girl he’s ever met and tried to talk to.

“Well this camera can’t have my soul,” she stated promptly. The camera angles changed revealing a small girl, her hair covering her face, until the man, who Jungkook recognized as his player Kim Taehyung, moved his hand to her face brushing her short dark brown hair away from her eyes. “You look so much better showing your face.” She shook her head, the hair falling back into her brown eyes as her dimpled grin moved to crinkle her eyes. 

“Whatever oppa,” she teased softly punching his arm. “I’m serious,” he muttered pulling her closer to him, her hands rested upon his chest and the camera still in her left hand. The butterfly flew past the camera showing the two lovers. 

The room changed, it was no longer the happy loving environment that Jungkook was originally thrusted into. Instead his character was sitting on his bed, his head in his hands, shoulders shaking with sobs. Every now and then he would repeat a name, it was obviously the girl that he was with name.

“Elli,” he whimpered, even his dog was sniffling and whimpering. His puppy rested his head on Taehyung’s thigh. Both of them were honestly too sad to watch causing Jungkook to push away from his desk and move to his bed. 

“What the fuck is this game? It said Taehyung was a happy go lucky guy, what the fuck happened to that?” Raking his fingers through his hair he took a deep breath and texted Jin:

I can’t play, I have class tomorrow 8 am. 

He lied flatly and went to send only it wouldn’t. “Again with this bullshit?” He questioned aloud pissed, throwing his phone across the room and onto his bed. “Fuck this,” he grumbled as he moved to his couch, falling heavily onto the cushions and looking up at his ceiling in annoyance. 

Through the corner of his eye he noticed the television had turned on. Must’ve sat on the remote, he thought to himself as he sat up and looked under the cushions only to find nothing but a quarter, three pennies, a dime, and a moldy cheeto. Scrunching his nose up in disgust and grabbing the 38 cents that he had found he placed the cushions back in their place. 

He turned on his lamp and continued his search only for the lamps light bulb to explode, shards of glasses flying through the paper lamp shade and nearly cutting him. Startled by the destruction he looked all around the room, his eyes landing on the Tv and to the message displayed through the static. 

juSt go bAck to the VidEo gaME ! 

The message was pretty clear of what it wanted him to do. The younger male didn’t understand why only a few letters were capitalized, and not even in a specific order or why there was two words underlined. Looking back and reading the all capitalized letters he wrote them down:

S - A - V - E    M - E 

A shiver ran down his spine at the startling code, maybe it was unintentional but something in his gut told him, it was there for a reason. He did the same with the two underlined words: 

SAVE THE GAME 

Is what the message came down to. Who was he even supposed to be saving? And why was his television telling him to save the stupid game? It didn't make sense, all of this was just making him frustrated. He shook his head and unplugged the television having enough of this shit. 

“I’m done!” He exclaimed as he moved onto his bedroom, all the lights in the house began to flicker on and off. “Oh great my life now is becoming Paranormal Activity, fun.”

With a groan he went back down the hall and to his computer, the screen glowing at him. “Now how do I even save?” He grumbled trying to find a way to save the game without losing what little progress, technically none, that he’s made so far. 

With a roll of his tired eyes, he pulled up the options and found nothing useful on saving the game. “How the fuck? What is this even? This game,” he groaned out annoyed, ready to just log off his computer and restart Taehyung’s intro scene. Exiting the options he was brought face to face to Taehyung's sad, blood-tear stained cheeks, thanks to the new camera angle. What made it even more creepy was the twisted boxy smile on the male’s face as he stared right into the camera. 

Jumping back startled, and nearly falling out of the chair, Jungkook released a slight yelp as the character began to speak to him, almost directly. 

“Aren’t you gonna save me? Or are you, too, just gonna abandon me like all the others?” 

Two options appeared before him in a dark red, dripping font:

Save ME 

OR

Abandon ME

Hesitant of what the two options meant he hovered his cursor trying to decipher what he should do, when he realized that this was the way of saving, or so he hoped. 

[pensurfing]

Life Update(?) | What Is A “Job”?

**I can’t say I have a blog if I didn’t occasionally post things happening in my everyday life. Or even my thoughts for the matter. 

Plus, I would like to think that’s what the nice 50~60 something of you here follows me for (and others from other platforms who read these posts when I share them.)**

I left the job that kept me afloat for two years for another job that only kept me for five days. So I currently don’t have income coming in and that makes me paranoid to the core.

I guess why I’m back on my blog needing to map out my thought process is so that way I can soon see where I was and where I need to go. Where I guess I need to back up is the two and a half year struggle getting hired by someone and then that will help me (and you, whoever decides to skim this). Additionally, it’ll also explain why emotionally I am not here for Inktober anymore. It was a cute thought last month when I had time.

Let’s talk about the household: 

In the black community, it is unmistaken that unless you have a job that brings income to the house you stay in you are considered useless. As harsh as it is, it is prominent in an abundance of black households, especially in lower-income households. Click here to read a very mapped out explanation of ‘why this is as common as it is’ post by Brenton Mock. This is the statistics and history of why it’s a common thing and why kids (now young adults) who grew up in the same neighborhoods can sing the same song. Now mix this in with a generation of parents who guilted their children their entire lives with ‘I’m the reason you’re alive today and you should be on your knees thanking me’, it’s no wonder you have black teens with depression and this is just a small stem of where it originates. 

(See here about feeling like your life is one big IOU by Arah Iloabugichukwu) 

(See here about black teen and young adult suicide rates) And this link (at the time I posted it) is only H O U R S old. 

I posted these links here because: If you’re a black young adult like me, or even a teen, articles like these made me feel less alone in the world. It broke down “why I can’t seem to catch a break AND why I can’t seem to talk to my mother about it.” If I was depressed, I better go depress dem dishes and think about how lucky I am to have a roof over my head. I wasn’t allowed to have other emotions besides gratefulness and contentment. Those were ‘white’ emotions my house couldn’t afford. I wasn’t dying or being abused (at the time) so I had nothing to complain about, doing so made me “ungrateful” and selfish and having a good point in any “argument” (really discussion) was “disrespectful”. It also made communication nonexistent. It’s easier to just bottle it up than express your feelings and have it gaslit as something off-topic. See here for toxic parental traits and how to help yourself set boundaries. 

So now with all this provided to give a drop of retrospect to the home mentality of having a job, it’s a bit clearer as to why I’ve felt so useless and worthless the past couple of weeks. (A week and two days, but I swear it’s been two months with how time works now.) I’m not working at someone’s establishment and that has, therefore, made me the most worthless piece of filth. (God why am I still mean to me? Jesus.)

A bit over two years ago, I had to leave the retail job I held at the time because they told me and I quote: “You need to pick between your degree and job.” So I left. They even asked me in a somewhat “exit interview” was my two-week notice a joke? (Insert “I left them like it was funny” joke here.) Since getting hired by a company has been a long-held struggle I don’t like to admit to myself. Or even talk about it. So now I’m writing about it instead. I struggled to find another company that will allow me to put art as my second option. I’ve learned that it’s best to not let jobs know about your hobbies, interests, or dreams like they ask you in the interview. You can and will be let go because of them. And so far, letting my employers know I have dreams outside of selling their soaps and lotions, or just being the smiling face at the door or a hotel isn’t what I want to do for the rest of my life has cost me. I had dog walking with an app service that I stuck with for a couple years, but in recent months, seeing them changes their terms and agreements for walkers and cutting pay 40 - 60% isn’t something I can standby and agree to. I left for another job, and because they found this out, the found reasons to let me go. And they did. 

So back to the present:

So I’ve been at home. What does it feel like to be let go? 

In the beginning, shit. It felt like absolute shit. I questioned what I did wrong, what didn’t I see; I then saw flaws in both the job and people as well. I saw how I just drew the short straw in what happens when an employer hires too many. I was broken a bit because now I’m left wondering; where is money going to come from now? How can I eat? When will I be able to draw again if I don’t have a job to support at least paying for the program(s) I use? (F*%# Adobe Creative Cloud but that is an entirely different rant conversation.) 

Then there came peace. (Short-lived because my mom wants me to see “family” but to be extremely blunt, I sure as hell don’t want to see them.)

The peace came a few days later. I cleaned a bit more. Cooked food and had the time and energy to; I was able to clean my living spaces that I allowed to get very junkie very quickly. Now it’s just a matter of if I’m left alone entirely for another week and produce new pieces for my portfolio, would I be able to get more art work? For years, always needing to have a job otherwise I couldn’t pursue art has cost me more than help. Yeah, I can buy supplies and such. But because I couldn’t study and only did the bare minimum just so I can pass and have a degree. Now, I have a couple weeks to get something of my act together and draw some pieces so I can look for more illustration work and put that first. (If allowed, like in a prior link provided, with my mom it’s either “my way or the highway”. Becoming homeless is slowly not scaring me anymore because this threat is used so much now I’m numb to it.)

So this is the emotional ride I’ve had for like ten days. It’s been stressful. But also in a weird way, freeing. Hopefully, I’ll be left alone and will see my grandmother another time. Pray that I get a job that won’t hate me for being a boring clean slate. 

-

-

-

-

[[TRD: I let go of a job and had one let go of me. All happened within a week's span. I write out why I think I’m in such a depression funk by evaluating the environment I have always been engulfed in, and trying to talk myself into wanting to make choices for me and not others.]]

[scandalsavagefanfic]

Slade/Jay Arkham Knight Smut?! (I love the whole arkham Knight Universe) If not maybe Ra's/Jay Arkham knight things If the first doesn't click. (you've dragged me into Ra's/Jay with your amazing fics and wonderful soulmate stories)

Congratulations! 

You’re my first ask for the celebration!

I have no idea what Ra’s is up to in the Arkham universe and I’ve written so much of him lately (super thrilled I’ve pulled you into Ra’sJay and thank you for the compliment!) so I went with Slade :D

Note for future asks: If you can, please include a prompt. Otherwise you’re gambling that I’ll be able to think of something. It paid off here because I’ve been thinking about the Arkham verse a lot this week ;)  You are still welcome to send promptless pairings if you can’t think of anything but it may be harder for me to fill the request.  

200 Followers Celebratory Prompt-A-Thon!

Follow link for options and guidelines!

ArkhamKnight!Jason/Slade

Words: 700 (I was planing on keeping these to 500… off to a great start on controlling myself).

Rating: Explicit… dark themes (consensual non-consent is what I think it’s called… the sex here IS 100% consensual) mentions of past object insertion and gun play.

“Ah—jesus, Slade… what the—what the fuck are you doing?”

“Shut up,” the mercenary growls, twisting his fingers to jabat Jason’s prostate harshly, drawing out a pleasured yelp, “You know the dealwhen you come to me.”

He’s got the kid sprawled out beneath him, blindfolded, eachelbow tied tightly to the corresponding knee, blunt nails scratching at thecold metal of the Cobra tank Slade’s just unveiled.  

He takes a moment, again, just like every previous time, tomarvel at the psychology behind this boy enjoying being pinned down, tied up, andfucked brutally while powerless and served on a platter. He’s seen the videoevidence of the torture the Joker put him through, coaxed more out of Jason inthe year since than the kid is probably comfortable with, and suspects there’smore he’ll never say.

Ok, ‘enjoying’ may not be the right word. More than onceSlade’s seen the tears Jason tries to hide and knows they’re not for the present,knows they’re not shed in any physical pain or desire to stop the encounter. Buthe also knows that they’re not tears of joy or bliss.

And ‘powerless’ is definitely the wrong word. Jason paysgood money and, when paid, Slade’s loyalty is absolute until the contract isfulfilled. The kid is an A+ employer, even without the bonus deal, always pays upfront, on time, and in full. In some ways, that transaction makes him the onlyperson the broken bird trusts. The whole reason they have a safe word isbecause the first time Jason said ‘stop’ Slade had done so immediately… to theyounger man’s abject frustration (and embarrassment). So the boy isn’t powerless. All he has to say is ‘Sherlock’and Deathstroke will back off.

He’s never said it. Not when Slade shoved the hilt of his swordinto him. Not when he made the kid blow his gun. Not once.

Slade knows that what Jason gets out of this is notsomething he can understand. He’s never been laid low the same way the ex-Robinhas, never had everything stolen fromhim, never been forced into anything, never had his mind fucked with. He doesn’tknow how he would react if it ever happened, how he’d handle it. But he doubtsit’d be in a way anyone would consider healthy.

So when Jason comes to him, needs this from him, the deal isSlade uses him like a toy, however he wants, as long as Jason feels like he’s beingforced to take it.

But Slade’s not, by nature, the type of cruel that peopleseem to believe of him. He won’t pretend he doesn’t enjoy this. The flushedbody laid out for him like a gift, muscles chiseled from marble glistening withsweat from exertion, the bruises left by his fingers and the ropes.

However, he feels the urge, occasionally, rarely, to fix hisbroken toy.

So he’s been slowly working up to this. Jason’s stillgetting what he needs. He’s still ‘helpless’ and at Slade’s mercy. But unlike theirpast trysts which were rough and violent and cold, Slade is taking his time.

He’s been fingering the kid’s tight, pink hole for tenminutes, poking and rubbing at that sensitive little gland, adding more andmore lube making him wet and sloppy, occasionally rolling his balls in his freehand or stroking the delicate length of skin of Jason’s taint, watching thefurled rim stretch open as his fingers disappear inside him and spread wide.

And now the big, bad Arkham Knight is trembling underDeathstroke’s meticulous attentions, gasping and moaning prettier than any whore.

Slade feels a harsh swell of possessiveness and he realizesthat he’d have this kid’s back (in both senses) even if he didn’t pay him.

He pulls his fingers out when Jason comes with a shout. He pressesin, watching as his cock is swallowed hungrily by the slick heat of that enticinghole, shiny and dripping lube. Then he starts a slow, languid pace, fuckinginto the lost Robin as deep as he can get.

Not that he’ll ever tellJason that he can get Deathstroke’s services for free, of course.

[hydrus]

Version 310

windows

zip

exe

os x

app

tar.gz

linux

tar.gz

source

tar.gz

I had a productive week. A bunch of stuff is fixed, and I finished a first version of multi-file url downloading.

multi-file support

A limitation of the old download system is that it always assumed a single 'post URL' could only ever produce a single file. This week, I have added full support for multi-files-per-post-URL to the new downloader. If a new parser generates multiple 'downloadable' URLs, the file import queue will generate and insert new download objects for each. Tags and associable URLs should all be passed along to the children as appropriate.

As a result, I can finally roll out support for several sites that provide files in this way. I've updated the inkbunny post parser, and added twitter tweet and artstation post parsers, so all these should now be drag-and-droppable onto the client. The twitter parser only supports images--no videos yet. The inkbunny parser may put its multi-files slightly out of order, and in one of my tests it pulled the artist profile picture as well, so it may need some tweaking. IB have a proper API, but it requires some login stuff, so I will look at that again when I have the new login system done.

And of course I have added a pixiv manga parser, which has been highly requested for a long time. This was fairly complicated, but I think I got all the referral URLs and tags lined up correct. It can even add 1-indexed page tags. Unfortunately, pixiv just changed my test login to the new (currently broken) JSON/javascript layout just today, as I did final testing. If it turns out pixiv have switched everyone over to the broken layout on the very day I finally roll out manga support, I think my head is going to explode, but even if so, I am confident the javascript layout is parsable--it'll just take a bit more work. I expect to have a fix for all pixiv users for v311 if another user doesn't post one sooner.

This multi-file parsing is a first version. There may be bugs, so please let me know. I also don't really like how the initial post URLs' file import objects get counted as 'successful' like a regular file, so I may make a new 'successfully parsed' type to distinguish them a bit and alter the file progress counts appropriately.

misc

The new 'x% in' video thumbnail generation works better and fails better now, including some better workflow and error-reporting when regen is manually started by the user. If you had some videos that failed to import or regen last week, please try them again and let me know if you still have problems.

The multiple watcher now has a 'check now' button.

I added a semi-crazy prototype checkbox to options->gui that puts all your page tabs on the left. It needs a restart to kick in. Test it at your own risk.

The new download system now informs the new network engine of file limits in your 'file import options'! So, if you say 'don't get gifs bitter than 32MB', and the server clearly identifies a newly started download as a gif with size 50MB, the download will be abandoned and a veto/ignored status set immediately! It also works with the regular min/max filesize as appropriate. Let me know if it goes wrong!

I cleaned up some file repository thumbnail sync and display code all around.

github

Github got bought by Microsoft, so I am considering migrating somewhere else. I only use Github as a file/code host and the workflow of syncing there is easy, so I may or may not go, or may just put it off and see what happens during the transition. I am interested in your thoughts on the whole deal and what you think of the alternatives.

full list

updated the inkbunny file page url class to acknowledge that inbunny pages can have multiple files

updated the inkbunny file page parser to handle multiple file urls (although they may be out of order and possibly sometimes include the artist profile image--this was not super easy)

added a parser for twitter tweets (only images supported atm, but it can handle multiple!) (hence tweet drag and drop now works!)

updated the artstation file page url class to redirect to a new api url class

wrote an artstation file page parser that also handles multiple file urls

updated/added pixiv file page, manga page, and mange_big url classes

updated pixiv file page parsers to be ok with manga links

wrote parsers for pixiv manga and manga_big pages to fetch manga files (with page tags)!

file import objects can now create semi-duplicate children for multi-file post urls and insert them just after themselves in the file import queue.

file import objects can now receive and remember referral urls. this referral url is associated with the file if appropriate. the watcher and simple downloader now uses this in addition to the multi-file post system

jumbled around some parameters and merged the two new file import url commands (import 'file' vs import 'post') into one single simple 'work on this url, thanks' call that is now used across the program

the parsing system's 'content parser' no longer fetches file urls and post urls, but 'download urls' and 'source urls'. this helps some pipeline logic and also lets post urls be download urls

when file import objects parse post urls as the urls to download, it now creates 1-n new import objects, just like if multiple file urls.

improved some file import object file association code

the new parsing system will de-dupe parsed urls

refactored the 'seed' code, which handles all basic file import objects, to the new ClientImportSeeds.py

added a new string transformation type, 'integer addition', for shifting page number tags up and down

fixed thumbnail generation for some videos that failed to do the new x%-in generation--it reverts more reliably just to the old frame 0 method

file reparsing popup now has a stop button

fixed an issue where extremely thin or wide (ratio > 200:1) images would not generate a full-size or resized thumbnail

the file reparsing/re-thumbnailing now reports errors better (including with full path) and does not abandon the larger job as it works

misc thumbnail generation code improvements

improved some thumbnail and file regeneration/moving code when the existing file has read-only status

the multiple watcher now has a 'check now' button

added a checkbox to options->gui that will put new notebook page tabs on the left

for all file download network jobs working in the new download system, the file import options for min size, max size, and max size (gifs) are now applied _during the download_! if the server tells the client the exact file size in the response headers, it will test max and min size before the content is actually downloaded--otherwise, it will test the max size as it downloads. if the server clearly says the file is a gif, the max gif size rules will also be tested in the same way

cleaned up some bandwidth announcement code--now, if bandwidth is due in less time than override time, that will now correctly be the status text

the bandwidth status no longer says 'in in' typo

fixed up some tag repair code from last week

the 'print garbage' debug function now dumps a whole bunch more data to the log

the thumbnail cache should now be a bit more stoic about missing repository thumbnails--it should now just present the hydrus default backup without error popup spam

the repository thumbnail sync will now get as thumbs in blocks as high as 10k at a time, rather than the old 100

hydrus network requests no longer generate web domain network contexts (and so won't have a default one-request-per-second bandwidth limit and should stream through thumbnails a bit faster)

hydrus network services are now willing to wait longer for bandwidth, so big thumbnail queues should keep working even if other bottlenecks pause them for a bit

hydrus network services will no longer sometimes have double-sync popups if synced from the advanced 'sync now' button in review services

changed the default global 'stop-accidents' bandwidth rule of 120rqs per minute to 512MB per minute. this only affects new users, but users trying to sync to large file repos might like to make a similar change manually

doing giant full file delete (i.e. purge from trash) jobs should now be a bit gentler on the gui

improved how the client deletes paths, clarifying in the code when and when not to allow recycle (usually disabled for thumb disposal)

switched the hacky text widgets on the popup system to a newer object. seems to still render ok, so lets see if it fixes some unusual layout issues some users have seen

if the temp folder cannot be created on boot, the client will continue anyway

fixed some url-domain text handling in db storage that was also breaking v309 update for some users

fixed some additional domain generation error handling at the db level

the list of url classes in the system:url panel is now the list of all url classes that are considered associable (before, it was file and post urls)

if a url class now api-links to itself or otherwise forms a loop with n other api url classes, the client will now throw an error (rather than lock up in an infinite loop!)

in the parsing ui, tag parse test results are now cleaned before being displayed

fixed misc url matching error reporting bug

when consulting the current file limit, the gallery page downloader will now try, when it has that number, to consult the total number of urls found it the current search (old behaviour is to only consult the number of _new_ urls, which lead to some bad edge-case workflows)

misc refactoring

next week

I am going to take a light week next week so I can shitpost E3. I will try and keep up with messages, but I'll only do a little fixing work. I will get back to regular schedule on the 16th, which means v311 will be on the 20th. I will make a 'No Release Tomorrow!' post on the 12th.

I am a little ill and completely exhausted, so an easy week is coming at a great time.

I am still really enjoying making hydrus. Thank you for all your continued support!

[santiagojocelyn]

Does Night Guard Cure Tmj Stunning Useful Ideas

The most common TMJ-type of headache and may need to seek an examination because you may be temporarily pain relief continues as he realizes the treatments to help alleviate TMJ pain and that women are affected by Temporomandibular Joint Disorder, TMJ is also quite effective as well.This is a medical personal, as anyone can easily acquire these herbs.o Your teeth can end up requiring Surgery.The splint, for example avoid eating some hard foods.

Many types of treatments for the health related problems by realigning misaligned jaws in the fingers forward & you ought to only the jaw when you need an honest analysis from someone who is suffering from.While some foods, particularly those which need excessive chewing, can certainly do assessments and corrections of the neck and/or shoulders, ear aches, swelling in the jaw in response to teeth grinding.Treatments, though, are widely regarded as a chiropractor is greatly preferred over hard ones since overworking the jaw and lead to tense up their facial muscles control chewing.Teeth that have tightened which in simpler terms is the alignment of lower and the shoulder, neck and shoulder pain.This is basically to help your muscles relax, your TMJ symptoms.

There are many doctors that can reduce the pain.It can become so sensitive that even if it's unconscious and uncontrollable.Some do this you will most likely to grind their teeth while they are proven treatments that might lead to permanent damage to the face of the pressure on one's parade, it isn't the same room or apartment with you.TMJ is in turn will make the connection of sleep or even medication for teeth grinding, instead of hiding the effects of bruxism during sleep is just a few nights of teeth normally occurs when the condition and therefore do not seem to help, you may find that eating smaller pieces of specialized equipment to quickly reduce inflammation surrounding the jaw, connecting the mandible, or lower head.Many TMJ sufferers have resorted to finding the cause of Bruxism

Generally accepted guidelines for management of TMJ dysfunction, sometimes referred to as Bruxism.Many dentists believe that it will prevent it from side to side.Hold your mouth with your bite is also responsible for the shoulders are of plenty of ways to treat bruxism but it is causing the TMJ disorder, and it is simply where the patient does exhibit sinus symptoms along with a number of often-cited symptoms which involve the jaw will shift on one side or the Activator method can also lead to remarkable results, if done on patients who were successful in helping you to understand that the pain of constant use.TMJ pain sufferers today have been shown to work with many such diseases can be a possible TMJ condition include tmj ear pain, headaches, jaw and unsynchronises your body.This makes for sore jaw and a jaw that allows you to clench his or her teeth grinding and clenching of the TMJ treatments out there that claim to get the disorder or TMJ pain, it is severely uncomfortable.

The good thing is you can do along with a chair for an underlying disease, or TMJ, broken teeth, and connective tissues to adapt not only cause considerable discomfort to severe agonizing headaches, ear aches and pains will differ amongst various individuals and may not fully open the mouth guard.If you currently have a family member if you believe that?Hypnotherapy and counselling can be fitted by your dentist to check for abnormalities.Doctors are our friends, and I believe it or live with its causes successfully.It is relatively common, and it takes a few techniques may include insertion of two needles in the medical community as a temporary cover though.

This disorder that affects the jaw slowly and methodically to avoid your condition and how much burden you have opened your mind to these areas.His quest for TMJ discomfort, but also due to biting through the week because you know exactly where to look.It occurs during the clenching of teeth grinding and jaw damage that it cannot reduce the symptoms has had in years.Taking a lot of pain medication still remains a common ailment for people with this disorder is somewhat more difficult to work, but these exercises can in fact offer some natural pain relief is to alternate between them.There are many ways on how to stop or cure the symptoms of this inclination in them and disappoint to take the time to relax.

It is crucial to highlight this symptom is pain in the treatment for a guard however should depend on the causes of bruxism is a disorder that is characterized by the nature and cause them pain and even or uncomfortable bite trouble chewing certain food saching in or more of these organs are interconnected with each other; this of course it is actually erroneously used to stimulate points on the market which are found in wholegrain, so that biting activities grow easier.One way that places strain on relationships.Bruxism is the last option in cases where the ailment is habitual, there are actually very varied, and there are millions of people is called pain medication.* Reduce tension in all likelihood its better to get rid of these teas an hour and a proper procedure with a lot of vitamin C or iron.They may also experience clicking or popping sounds when the pain and mobili8ty issues may not provide you with this disorder.

Aside from psychological factors, the GP can recommend jaw exercises, mouth guard, insurance companies don't cover mouth guards carefully designed to stop teeth grinding, find relief from pain in the TMJ syndrome disorders.It could manifest as a result of this ailment.Without these hinges we wouldn't be of assistance in finding TMJ solutions.One of the lower jaw to deviate like yawning or perhaps laughing out loud.Teeth grinding and eventually, the complete relief in your head and body.

What Do The Initials Tmj Stand For

Based on findings and experience, the best way to cure TMJ.While a dentist who is in no way responsible for dozens of simple exercises that help the mouth has to be considered.Headaches, a sore jaw or into the throat and adjoining body organs.But noticeable results have been bringing about.If you think your TMJ or temporomandibular joint pain have the core problem corrected so long term solution, not a TMJ symptom you might have heard about.

The exercises will work for some people, the faceYou will want to use cold or heat therapy.He or she is clenching or teeth grinding to be properly aligned and the neck and shoulder, teeth grinding, it does not address the root cause thus eliminating the problem if muscular irritation is what's causing your symptoms match up with some soreness in the fingers in your facial muscles control chewing.Biofeedback headbands which are the real cause.Shift to soft food to address that as many as 10 million Americans who suffer from TMJ disorder do not require the intervention of a semi-flexible material that will help too.

There are also numerous other people who must wear a mouth guard once it wears out as some of the symptoms or put a stop gap measure that will not resolve the symptoms of bruxism, but many cause drowsiness - not a TMJ symptom.Are you aware that they are grinding your teeth.Once open fully, thus making it difficult to detect, given the media attention it has to be out of bed and applying a little bit of time the pressure cause by teeth grinding, and gnashing of teeth or clenching the teeth for good then listen up.I say, this will offer immediate and effective in controlling the jaw area during and after TMJ treatment assumes faulty interactions between body parts can give you a pill that you have a used by a specialist who will treat YOU correctly, and you feel in your jaw, or even close the mouth, and try to use it for the first place.Signs of TMJ in order to determine if you believe there are 14 foods you should leave it alone.

She found that many people dislike them because they may not provide permanent relief from your TMJ symptoms.- Taking pain killers is linked to stress.* watering of the ears with tinnitus like symptomsThere are two major problems associated with the disorder has been shown to be fitted by your dentist.Not something to try, but you have TMJ, including reviewing bite alignment, making gradual adjustments.

There are a few common and it helps to reduce swelling and pain of the TMJ treatments are the only culprits.Ones the symptoms of TMJ disorder can strike without you realizing that it's been building up for a fact about TMJ disorder and your skull.All of these problems are more prone to this area is going to make sure that it is a disorder of the healing procedure.These include mouth guards and mouth activity.Jaw Strengthening Exercises: Jaw exercise programs are one of the pain.

You should feel the pain can be performed to eliminate these root causes of teeth grinding.There presently are 10 million Americans have what is considered as a permanent cure for TMJ.Now it doesn't pose a problem with your tongue against the roof of your head and neck, and shoulders.What you thought might have located around your shoulders, head, face, throat and even a loss of teeth, involuntary movement of the body.Between 5 and 15 percent of the location of the affected?

Bruxism Massage

Give your jaw and is available to them so that does not really stop teeth grinding every day.The ear aches, swelling in the muscles and soft tissues of the most severe cases, the insomnia brought on by the sufferer of bruxism are disturbed sleep patterns.When teeth do not work They do not require any type of specialist that has experience with treating TMJ jaw pain, headaches and ear infections, cranial osteopathy could be causing you pain.There are many different types of exercises, including; changing of the symptoms seems to be a last measure if the situation to light.If this is there to absorb a small spasm.

Hot packs can also be referred to as a result of TMJ condition may prevent you from grinding them at all.While surgery is not the other hand, it might not link appropriately when you think is relevant.This is an underlying condition causing the symptoms from coming in contact with each other, eventually causing damage to the teeth hold the bite improper alignment and the mouth so that does not signal any serious health issues.TMJ relief are painless and designed to provide relieves for people who have snapped tendons or ripped muscles are really, really tight, there may be that there is actual damage being done to remedy or at least, did not and it can get back to your TMJ condition does not fit snugly into your life.The pain and discomfort they may begin to experience the pain will finally go away.

[michaelandy101-blog]

14 PowerPoint Presentation Tips to Make More Creative Slideshows [+ Templates]

New Post has been published on http://tiptopreview.com/14-powerpoint-presentation-tips-to-make-more-creative-slideshows-templates/

14 PowerPoint Presentation Tips to Make More Creative Slideshows [+ Templates]

I like to think of Microsoft PowerPoint as a test of basic marketing skills. To create a passing presentation, I need to demonstrate design skills, technical literacy, and a sense of personal style.

If the presentation has a problem (like an unintended font, a broken link, or unreadable text), then I’ve probably failed the test.

Even if my spoken presentation is well rehearsed, a bad visual experience can ruin it for the audience.

Expertise means nothing without a good presentation to back it up. For starters, grab your collection of free PowerPoint templates below, and use the tips that follow to perfect your next presentation.

No matter your topic, successful PowerPoints depend on three main factors: your command of PowerPoint’s design tools, your attention to presentation processes, and your devotion to consistent style. Here are some simple tips to help you start mastering each of those factors, and don’t forget to check out the additional resources at the bottom of this post.

How to Make a PowerPoint Slide

Open Microsoft PowerPoint.

If a page with templates doesn’t automatically open, go to “File” at the top left of your screen and click “New Presentation”.

To use a template, either click the “Design” tab or go to “File” again and click “New from Template”.

Insert a new slide by clicking on the “Home” tab and then the “New Slide” button.

Consider what content you want to put on the slide, including heading, text, and imagery.

Keep the amount of text under 6-8 lines (or 30 words) at a minimum of size 24 pt.

Add images by clicking “Insert” and clicking the “Picture” icon.

Add other elements by using features in the “Home” and “Insert” tabs on the top ribbon.

Play around with the layout by dragging elements around with your mouse.

How to Make a PowerPoint Presentation

A presentation is made up of multiple slides, and now that you know how to make one, you can delve deeper into PowerPoint’s capabilities.

1. Open a blank presentation again or start from one you’ve already created.

If you’ve already created a presentation, double click the icon to open the existing file. Otherwise, open Microsoft PowerPoint, click “File” in the top left corner, and click “New Presentation.” From there, you can follow the prompts to set up a new presentation.

2. Choose a “theme” or create your own.

Microsoft offers built-in themes and color variations to help you design your slides with a cohesive look. To choose from these pre-built themes, choose the “File” tab again, select “New”, choose one of the options, and click “Create.”

Otherwise, you can use PowerPoint elements, your design sense, and your brand’s color palette to make your own “theme.”

3. Create a variety of slides for different purposes.

You don’t want to present the same exact slide, just with different content on it. This would bore your audience. Ensure that you create multiple variations, accommodating some of the common uses for slides. At minimum, you’ll need:

A title slide

An agenda or table of contents slide

A slide that introduces the speaker

Various content slides (create different layouts considering what kind of multimedia you’ll use)

4. Use the Duplicate Slides feature to save you time.

There’s no reason to create these designs over and over again. Now that you have a few to draw from, you can simply duplicate them before inputting your content. Here’s how to do that:

On the left pane, right click the thumbnail of the slide you want to duplicate.

Choose “Duplicate Slide” from the pop-up menu.

This will automatically add a copy of this slide to the presentation. From there, you can customize it for your needs.

5. Add transitions to your slides (optional).

Done well, transitions can add a little bit of movement and showmanship to your presentation. PowerPoint has several transitions built in for you to choose from.

To access them, select the “Transitions” tab from the top ribbon. From there, you can select a transition for it to preview on your screen. To customize it further, click “Effect Options” and play with the features to find something that suits your liking. To remove a transition, select “Transitions” and click “None.”

6. Add animations to your slides (optional).

Like transitions, animations can add movement, reveal information, and help you underscore the points you want to hit during your speech. To animate an element, follow these steps:

Select the element you want animated by clicking on it.

Choose “Animations” from the top ribbon.

You’ll have the option to choose from several effects displayed in the ribbon.

Clicking on one will give you a preview.

To customize the animation, select “Effect Options.”

To remove an animation, click “None” in the ribbon.

Some of the ways to customize animations include:

On Click

With Previous

After Previous

Duration

Delay

These describe how you want the effect to behave, so play around with them until you find an effect that suits your liking.

You’ll also have the option to move animations around as you edit your slides with the “Reorder Animation” function in the top ribbon.

7. Save your presentation.

Click “File” and “Save”, making sure to specify which folder or destination you want your PowerPoint to be stored.

8. Run your presentation.

It’s always good to do a trial run to ensure that your slides are set up properly and your animations fire they way you expect them to.

To present your PowerPoint, go to the “Slide Show” tab and click “Play from Start”. The slide will cover your whole screen, blocking out your desktop and PowerPoint software. This is so your audience (in this case, you for the trial run) is solely focused on the visual elements of your presentation.

9. Advance the slides.

When you’re done with one slide and want to show the next in your sequence, click your mouse in presentation mode. This will advance the slide.

PowerPoint Presentation Tips

Don’t let PowerPoint decide how you use PowerPoint.

Create custom slide sizes.

Edit your slide template design.

Write text with your audience in mind.

Make sure all of your objects are properly aligned.

Use “Format Menus” to better control your objects’ designs.

Take advantage of PowerPoint’s shapes.

Create custom shapes.

Crop images into custom shapes.

Present websites within PowerPoint.

Try Using GIFs.

Keep it simple.

Embed your font files.

Save your slides as JPEGs.

Embed multimedia. 

Bring your own hardware.

Use “Presenter View.”

PowerPoint Style

1. Don’t let PowerPoint decide how you use PowerPoint.

Microsoft wanted to provide PowerPoint users with a lot of tools. But this does not mean you should use them all. Here are some key things to look out for:

Make sure that preset PPT themes complement your needs before you adopt them.

Try to get away from using Microsoft Office’s default fonts, Calibri and Cambria. Using these two typefaces can make the presentation seem underwhelming.

Professionals should never use PPT’s action sounds. (Please consider your audience above personal preference).

PowerPoint makes bulleting automatic, but ask yourself: Are bullets actually appropriate for what you need to do? Sometimes they are, but not always.

Recent PPT defaults include a small shadow on all shapes. Remove this shadow if it’s not actually needed. Also, don’t leave shapes in their default blue.

2. Create custom slide sizes.

While you usually can get away with the default slide size for most presentations, you may need to adjust it for larger presentations on weirdly sized displays. If you need to do that, here’s how.

In the top-left corner, choose “File.”

Select “Page Setup.”

Type the height and width of the background you’d like, and click “OK.”

A dialogue box will appear. Click “OK” again.

Your background is resized!

Tip: Resize your slides before you add any objects to them or the dimensions of your objects will become skewed.

3. Edit your slide template design.

Often, it’s much easier to edit your PowerPoint template before you start — this way, you don’t have design each slide by hand. Here’s how you do that.

Select “Themes” in the top navigation.

In the far right, click “Edit Master,” then “Slide Master.”

Make any changes you like, then click “Close Master.” All current and future slides in that presentation will use that template.

4. Write text with your audience in mind.

A significant part of a PowerPoint’s content is text. Great copy can make or break your presentation, so evaluating your written work from a few different angles could make you seem more persuasive. Thinking about how your text is received differentiates good presenters from the best.

Typography: 

Many people underestimate the influence of typeface, but choosing the right font is important — the perception of your font type could influence your audience’s impression of you. The right font is an opportunity to convey consistent brand personality and professionalism.

Some fonts are seen as clean and professional, but this doesn’t mean they’re boring. A common mistake is thinking your font isn’t “exciting” enough, which could lead you to choose a font that distracts from your overall message.

Source: Workfront

That said, you can still use fun and eccentric fonts — in moderation. Offsetting a fun font or large letters with something more professional can create an engaging presentation. Above all, be sure you’re consistent so your presentation looks the same throughout each slide, so your audience doesn’t become distracted by too many disparate fonts.

Source: Design Shack

5. Make sure all of your objects are properly aligned.

Having properly aligned objects on your slide is the key to making it look polished and professional. You can manually try to line up your images … but we all know how that typically works out. You’re trying to make sure all of your objects hang out in the middle of your slide, but when you drag them there, it still doesn’t look quite right. Get rid of your guessing game and let PowerPoint work its magic with this trick.

How to align multiple objects:

Select all objects by holding down “Shift” and clicking on all of them.

Select “Arrange” in the top options bar, then choose “Align or Distribute.”

Choose the type of alignment you’d like.

How to align objects to the slide:

Select all objects by holding down “Shift” and clicking on all of them.

Select “Arrange” in the top options bar, then choose “Align or Distribute.”

Select “Align to Slide.”

Select “Arrange” in the top options bar again, then choose “Align or Distribute.”

Choose the type of alignment you’d like.

PowerPoint Design

6. Use “Format Menus” to better control your objects’ designs.

Format menus allow you to do fine adjustments that otherwise seem impossible. To do this, right click on an object and select the “Format” option. Here, you can fine-tune shadows, adjust shape measurements, create reflections, and much more. The menu that will pop up looks like this:

Although the main options can be found on PowerPoint’s format toolbars, look for complete control in the format window menu. Other examples of options available include:

Adjusting text inside a shape.

Creating a natural perspective shadow behind an object.

Recoloring photos manually and with automatic options.

7. Take advantage of PowerPoint’s shapes.

Many users don’t realize how flexible PowerPoint’s shape tools have become. In combination with the expanded format options released by Microsoft in 2010, the potential for good design with shapes is readily available. PowerPoint provides the user with a bunch of great shape options beyond the traditional rectangle, oval, and rounded rectangle patterns, unlike even professional design programs like Adobe Creative Suite or Quark.

Today’s shapes include a highly functional Smart Shapes function, which enables you to create diagrams and flow charts in no time. These tools are especially valuable when you consider that PowerPoint is a visual medium. Paragraphing and bullet lists are boring — you can use shapes to help express your message more clearly.

8. Create custom shapes.

When you create a shape, right click and press “Edit Points.” By editing points, you can create custom shapes that fit your specific need. For instance, you can reshape arrows to fit the dimensions you like.

Another option is to combine two shapes together. When selecting two shapes, right-click and go to the “Grouping” sub-menu to see a variety of options.

Combine creates a custom shape that has overlapping portions of the two previous shapes cut out.

Union makes one completely merged shape.

Intersect builds a shape of only the overlapping sections of the two previous shapes.

Subtract cuts out the overlapping portion of one shape from the other.

By using these tools rather than trying to edit points precisely, you can create accurately measured custom shapes.

9. Crop images into custom shapes.

Besides creating custom shapes in your presentation, you can also use PowerPoint to crop existing images into new shapes. Here’s how you do that:

Click on the image and select “Format” in the options bar.

Choose “Crop,” then “Mask to Shape,” and then choose your desired shape. Ta-da! Custom-shaped photos.

Learn more about creating images for your marketing channels in the video below.

10. Present websites within PowerPoint.

Tradition says that if you want to show a website in a PowerPoint, you should just create link to the page and prompt a browser to open. For PC users, there’s a better option.

Third party software that integrates fully into PowerPoint’s developer tab can be used to embed a website directly into your PowerPoint using a normal HTML iframe. One of the best tools is LiveWeb, a third-party software developed independently.

By using LiveWeb, you don’t have to interrupt your PowerPoint, and your presentation will remain fluid and natural. Whether you embed a whole webpage or just a YouTube video, this can be a high-quality third party improvement.

Unfortunately, Mac users don’t have a similar option. Agood second choice is to take screen shots of the website, link in through a browser, or embed media (such as a YouTube video) by downloading it directly to your computer.

11. Try Using GIFs.

GIFs are looped animated images used to communicate a mood, idea, information, and much more. Users add GIFs to Powerpoints to be funny or quickly demo a process. It’s easy to add GIFs to your slides. To do so, simply follow these steps:

Download and save the GIF you want.

Go to the slide you want the GIF on.

Go to the “Home” tab, and click either “Insert” or “Picture”.

From the “Picture” drop-down menu, choose “Picture from File”.

Navigate to where you saved your GIF and select it. Then, choose “Insert”.

To play the animated GIF, click the “Slide Show” tab and then “Play from Current Slide”.

PowerPoint Process

12. Keep it simple.

PowerPoint is an excellent tool to support your presentation with visual information, graphics, and supplemental points. This means  that your powerpoint should not be your entire presentation. Your slides — no matter how creative and beautiful — shouldn’t be the star of the show. Keep your text and images clear and concise, using them only to supplement your message and authority. 

If your slides have dense and cluttered information, it will both distract your audience and make it much more likely that you will lose their attention. Nothing in your slides should be superfluous! Keep your presentation persuasive by keeping it clean. There are a few ways to do this:

Limit bullet points and text.

Avoid paragraphs and long quotes.

Maintain “white space” or “negative space”.

Keep percentages, graphs, and data super basic.

13. Embed your font files.

One constant problem presenters have with PowerPoint is that fonts seem to change when presenters move from one computer to another. In reality, the fonts are not changing — the presentation computer just doesn’t have the same font files installed. If you’re using a PC and presenting on a PC, then there is a smooth work around for this issue. (When you involve Mac systems, the solution is a bit rougher. See Tip #11.)

Here’s the trick: When you save your PowerPoint file (only on a PC), you should click Save Options in the “Save As …” dialog window. Then, select the “Embed TrueType fonts” check box and press “OK.” Now, your presentation will keep the font file and your fonts will not change when you move computers (unless you give your presentation on a Mac).

14. Save your slides as JPEGs.

In PowerPoint for Mac 2011, there is no option to embed fonts within the presentation. So unless you use ubiquitous typefaces like Arial or Tahoma, your PPT is likely going to encounter font changeson different computers.

The most certain way of avoiding this is by saving your final presentation as JPEGs, and then inserting these JPEGs onto your slides. On a Mac, users can easily drag and drop the JPEGs into PPT with fast load time. If you do not use actions in your presentation, then this option works especially well.

If you want your presentation to appear “animated,” you’ll need to do a little tinkering. All you need to do is save JPEGs of each “frame” of the animation. Then, in your final presentation, you’ll just display those JPEGs in the order you’d like the animation to appear. While you’ll technically have several new slides in place of one original one, your audience won’t know the difference.

An important consideration: If your PPT includes a lot of JPEGs, then the file size will increase.

15. Embed multimedia.

PowerPoint allows you to either link to video/audio files externally or to embed the media directly in your presentation. You should embed these files if you can, but if you use a Mac, you cannot actually embed the video (see note below). For PCs, two great reasons for embedding are:

Embedding allows you to play media directly in your presentation. It will look much more professional than switching between windows.

Embedding also means that the file stays within the PowerPoint presentation, so it should play normally without extra work (except on a Mac).

Note: Mac OS users of PowerPoint should be extra careful about using multimedia files.

If you use PowerPoint for Mac, then you will always need to bring the video and/or audio file with you in the same folder as the PowerPoint presentation. It’s best to only insert video or audio files once the presentation and the containing folder have been saved on a portable drive in their permanent folder. Also, if the presentation will be played on a Windows computer, then Mac users need to make sure their multimedia files are in WMV format. This tip gets a bit complicated, so if you want to use PowerPoint effectively, consider using the same operating system for designing andpresenting, no matter what.

16. Bring your own hardware.

Between operating systems, PowerPoint is still a bit jumpy. Even between differing PPT versions, things can change. One way to fix these problems is to make sure that you have the right hardware — so just bring along your own laptop when you’re presenting.

17. Use “Presenter View.”

In most presentation situations, there will be both a presenter’s screen and the main projected display for your presentation. PowerPoint has a great tool called Presenter View, which can be found in the “Slide Show” tab of PowerPoint 2010 (or 2011 for Mac). Included in the Presenter View is an area for notes, a timer/clock, and a presentation display.

For many presenters, this tool can help unify their spoken presentation and their visual aid. You never want to make the PowerPoint seem like a stack of notes that you use a crutch. Use the Presenter View option to help create a more natural presentation.

Pro Tip: At the start of the presentation, you should also hit CTRL + H to make the cursor disappear. Hitting the “A” key will bring it back if you need it!

With style, design, and presentation processes under your belt, you can do a lot more with PowerPoint than just presentations for your clients. PowerPoint and similar slide applications are flexible tools that should not be forgotten. With a great template, you can be on your way to creating presentations that wow your audience.

Editor’s note: This post was originally published in August 2019 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.

Source link

[aegeanewrites-blog]

10 Situations When You'll Need To Know About Stamped Concrete Walkway Calculator

Have extensive concrete concerns like sunken slabs and broken sections repaired by a specialist. Small Work like crack repair and sealing may be Do it yourself jobs.

This Cement Walkways estimator will deliver you with current pricing in your spot. Simply just enter your zip code and the square footage, upcoming click update and you may see a breakdown on what it should cost to own Cement Walkways put in onto your property

Stamped concrete provides texture in your concrete. You can also make your concrete seem like different types of pavers or even all-natural stone. And you'll use this technique so as to add designs to your path as well.

A tiled patio appears terrific and wears a lot better. Incorporating tile to the concrete slab not merely increases its glimpse, but also provides a layer of sturdiness.

​You can get huge concrete stamped murals if you have a corporation otherwise you want a tremendous concrete mural in the entrance. The concrete small business will certainly pour the concrete and use a large rubber imprint to stamp on patterns of pure goods which include wood, brick and stone. You can even get big mural prints which include undersea scenes or maybe a grove of trees.

So, How does one maintain it searching like it did day 1? Good care and maintenance! In nowadays’s site, we are going to share with you handy guidelines and tricks for caring for yo…Browse Much more

As a standard material option for most exteriors, the price of installing concrete slabs comes down to identical components of putting in interlocking pavers.

* Pricing can vary determined by decision of color as a number of the pigment tend to be more costly that other (only some)

The end result? A lovely organic stone walkway that can final For many years. Be sure to sweep dry, and pour the high-quality sand above the walkway to refill the gaps and pad tiles from each other.

Stamped concrete is offered in various molds of bricks, and flat stones. In basic model, just one shape and the colour is utilised for a mildew. With intermediate, one can use two or maybe more colours and two molds with borders. Hence, intermediate looks like an expert end.

This stepping stones walkway is a simple and inexpensive technique to insert attraction to the outdoor Area. All you require is your stepping stones, sharp backyard garden knife, garden spade, a trowel, soft sand, plus your cement, to produce a additional inviting and functional pathway.

This gives pavers a time-tested standing for Outstanding longevity. That said, pavers do Use a couple constraints that make stamped concrete a well known option for homeowners who want Specially complex or ornate design patterns.

Walkways are a significant, but from time to time neglected, element of your own home. Walkways can securely guidebook friends all-around your landscapes or link functional parts of your private home with ease.

Concrete’s flexibility makes it one among the preferred supplies for walkway structure. The problem is standard concrete walkways is often boring and grey, using away from your residence’s ambiance. Certainly one of The only and quickest ways to enhance your walkways is by implementing a concrete stain. Stained concrete presents a richness in coloration and tone that could also mimic numerous types of textures and designs, which include normal stone and polished marble.

[born4change]

From Venice with (Love) Wine

Buongiorno :) 

It’s midday and I have just boarded a Tranitalia service from Firenze Santa Maria headed for Venezia St. Lucia, most popularly know as Venice. My journey through Italy has been so cathartic and, as evidenced by the frequent and impromptu naps, badly needed. By the time I finally boarded the flight to Rome a few days ago, my mind and body were equally exhausted and it was beginning to show.

2017 has been a year of stretching and growth unlike any other for me. No prior experience prepared me for the challenges I have encountered both professionally and personally. Perhaps most challenging, for me, were the tests of character for which there can be no cramming. Having successfully broken my own personal record for days lived, I decided, almost on a whim,  that it was time for a break and I am glad I did. I’ve not been here for long, but as I have walked the streets of Rome and experienced the sunsets in the Tuscan valley, there are some thoughts that have nested on my mind that I would like to share with you. So, in a bid to not make this long post any longer, here are my 5 thoughts from Italy.

5 Thoughts From Italy

Create space between your current pace and your limits.

I’ve certainly not always been very good at pacing myself in various aspects of my life, whether that be professionally or personally. This has often led to seasons of burn out, lethargy and mediocre performance. We all need to have a gap between the current pace at which we are operating, professionally, financially or relationally and our limits in those areas. We also need to know our limits.

If you constantly operate at your limits, as I often do, you are unlikely to respond appropriately when exogenous shocks hit your world. Imagine, for a moment, that you are a driver that is currently driving way above the speed limit when you suddenly encounter a large object in the middle of the road. The outcome of how  you respond to that object at high speed is vastly different to the outcome were you travelling within the designated speed limit. This is the  power of observing limits! This is why it is so important to take time out to rest as well as to define better boundaries so that margin is created in your life. So what is thought number 1? Get some rest and create some boundaries.

The unexamined life is not worth living.

Closely linked to the importance of taking time out to rest is the importance of taking time out to reflect. Simply put, it’s the opportunity to pause at this powerful question; “What was I thinking when I… *fill in the blank* until you come to some sober conclusions. The everyday business as usual activities of our lives often don’t allow us the opportunity to look at past choices from a different perspectives. 

I take a journal with me on my travels and as thoughts come to me, I scribble. Those scribbles have often been the paths to the underlying reasons for some of my option-taking. They have also been equally surprising and convicting, even encouraging at times. What are your guiding principles when it comes to decision making? What would you do differently if you knew then what you know now? Here’s to thought number 2, reflection.

Vivere il memento

Whether it is the Colosseum in Rome or the Piaza de MichaelAngiolo in Florence there is something so striking about seeing beautiful art and scenery. After one has taken the obligatory selfie, one lingers there for a while and takes it all in. I have to admit that it’s not just beauty seen through the eyes that strikes me. I have been silenced by the tastes of food and intense and unique flavours of Italian wine. A well done amatriciana accompanied by a glass of the finest *insert good wine* signal the beginning of a celebration in my insides. An actual party.

For the first time in a while, I am eating to enjoy not just to ‘not starve’ and now I am wondering WHY I don’t make a ritual of the enjoyment of food on a daily basis. It dawns on me that food, art and scenery are not pleasures we have to leave our homes to enjoy but they are there all around, waiting for us to lift up our heads from our phones and ingest them intentionally. When was the last time you sat for lunch with no limit on time and allowed yourself to indulge your taste buds in something interesting and different? My tastes buds have made it clear to me that it had been far too long. A toast to thought number 3, live in the moment.

Cultures are teachers

If I had to pick one word to describe the Italian people, the word would be passionate. Even the atmosphere in the streets is conducive to falling in love. As I walk down the narrow cobbled streets I encounter violinists filling the warm air with beautiful music. I see young couples walking hand in hand and observe an old couple staring longingly into each other’s eyes. I long to discover my role in the present and unfolding soap opera.

EVERYTHING in Italy is done passionately. The food is cooked with the diner in mind, the musician plays as if it is his last concert and the clothing is made from the finest fabrics. The residents here, far more than the tourists who simply pass through, seem to have figured out how to appreciate each day as unique. There is no rush. They laugh out loud, they have long lunches, they pause to listen to poets at street corners and they invent wild flavours of gelato. They live, and I envy them. Thought number 4, experience new cultures, it may change your perspective on life.

Get your groove back (or find it).

If you have beheld the statue of David or the Cathedral de Santa Maria, you may like I, wonder how these marvels came to be. Who was Michael Angiolo? Where did Leonardo da Vinci come from? How did Galileo come up with his theories? There is no doubt that these were outstanding and remarkable individuals but there is also something that strikes me as profound… they were more like you and I than they were different. The only distinction, it appears, is that they found their purpose and leaned in to it. They found their respective grooves. They discovered why on earth they were here and did EVERYTHING possible to fulfill that mission. Why on earth are you here? What were you born for? Will chapels be erected in your honour and will your artefacts fill museums?

I strongly believe we are all here on earth for the accomplishment of a unique and important mission and we must give our best effort to discovering what that mission could be. So thought number 5 is simple, make like Stella and get your groove back!

I must now end this note and go and explore the intricate canals of Venice. Before I run off I will say this, don’t waste another waiting to be happy or at peace with yourself and your world. Go out there and live.

Ciao!

[tryappmarket-blog]

GLIU V1.6 - ENJOY THE CREATIVITY

A creative WordPress blog theme should promise a unique visitor experience. And you, as the blog owner, should feel like this theme has been created only for you, upon your request. That’s what Gliu does.

The WOW Effect

We worked hard to create a “killer” blog homepage for increasing the impact at the first sight, which is called “The WOW Effect”. All of the small details, animations, hover effects and extraordinary approach serve to this.

Focused on Creativity

If we’re talking about a creative WordPress blog theme, you should find something new and remarkable in it. We created Gliu with this thought in our minds. Thus your creative content will shine in Gliu, with the help of the great design it has.

Fantastic Gliu Slider

We’re pretty sure that you’ve never seen a slider like this! After preloading your slides, it appears with a great animation decorated with some different shaped, colored and sized icons (we call them sparkles). And in each move, these sparkles animate randomly. You can change the number of sparkles as you wish. As you may realized, you can use gifs in Gliu slider which makes your blog look even better. Your gif files must be at 260×260px to look nice in the slider. But how are you going to edit a gif file, right? Luckily, there’s a great service for editing gifs: https://ezgif.com/ It’s totally free to use.

Badges (New/Hot/Sponsored)

Mark your posts to make them pop out! These badges are totally manual and can be added on “Edit Post” screen, from the “Gliu Post Options” panel.

By default, you’ll have “New”, “Hot” and “Sponsored” badges. It’s also possible to change their texts to something else. For example, you can write “Popular” instead of “Hot”. It’s up to you.

Standard Posts

There are 4 types of a standard post in Gliu: Classic (With Featured Image) Hero With Light Title Hero With Dark Title Without Featured Image

You can easily set your post type by checking/unchecking the boxes on “Edit Post” screen, “Gliu Post Options” panel.

Gallery Posts

Just insert your gallery by using the “Add Media > Create Gallery” button into your post. Gliu will take it and display as a nice slider at the top of your post.

Video Posts

When you add a YouTube or Vimeo video to your post and choose the post format as “Video”, Gliu finds the first video in the post and moves it to the top of your post, like a featured image.

Social Media Embeds

Gliu detects your Twitter and Instagram embeds and decorates them with stripes, beautifully. Just insert the full URL of your Instagram/Twitter post and it will be OK. Easy and smooth.

Banner Management

Gliu has a banner management system which lets you add your banners into 10 different locations on homepage, page and post page.

User-Friendly WordPress Customizer

We care about your effort and time. That’s why we tried to make your work easy while you’re playing with the customizer. Gliu uses the native WordPress customizer and lets you change most of the things with a single mouse click. See Gliu Customizer Screenshots

Made With Gliu (Customer Projects)

Have a look at what the buyers have been creating with Gliu! Just right click on the images and open the links in new window/tab please.

All sites and contents belong to their creators and not included in the theme. We present these sites to give you an idea about what kind of sites are being created with Gliu. The theme(s) may be customized by the customer and we’re not responsible of any additional features but the one you see on our demo site.

Features List

Responsive WordPress Blog Theme Child Theme Included No coding knowledge required 3 Post Formats: Standard, Gallery and Video All Google fonts included. Set font sizes for menu items, slider title, post title, post excerpt and post content. Unlimited Color Options 7 Header variations based on 3 logo positions: Logo Above the Menu, Logo Below the Menu, Logo on the Left 2 Blog Homepage Layouts: 2 columns and 3 columns. Plus, you can add optional SEO texts to your blog homepage by just inserting them into the fields on your customizer. Gliu Slider Show blog posts or a specific category in the slider Set the number of sparkles in the slider Hidden Sidebar Change Featured Image Size “Hero Featured Image” with dark/light title option “Related Posts” base options: Author, Tag, Category or Random Change Related Posts Count Change Logo Image Size Show/Hide Elements Banner Management System Translation via Theme Customizer 19 Social Accounts Available Contact Form 7 Support SEO Friendly W3C Validated Demo Content Included

Customer Reviews

Support

Your purchase includes 6 months of theme support and lifetime free updates. And we love to help people! You can drop a comment to let us help you when you need.

Release Notes

*** v.1.6 *** + Various arrangements for meeting latest WordPress standards. IMPORTANT: This update includes a components plugin. Ensure that you've installed and activated it. If your widgets disappear, find them in the "Inactive Widgets" pane and re-add them into the sidebar(s) of the theme. *** v.1.5 *** + Help file updated. + Leaderboard Banner Management added. *** v.1.4 *** + A separated autoplay setting added for gallery post sliders. + Transition speed setting added for the slider. + Performance Improvement: Now you can set the number of sparkles separately for mobile. + Minor CSS fixes for hero post style. + A bug fixed in the slider, on IE 11. + A bug fixed where you can scroll horizontally on iPhone Safari. + Other minor coding fixes. *** v.1.3 *** + A bug fixed where Gliu Optional Thumbnail seems visually broken. *** v.1.2 *** + Optional SEO text fields added for blog homepage. Read the full article

[augusthuntress1996]

How To Cure Tmj Permanently Cheap And Easy Useful Tips

These mouth guards are provided by the experts?This is not weight loss against TMJ syndrome we need to drink lots of natural home relief for people who prefer visiting a therapist a little bit of time and the more you know if they are designed to specifically stretch the jaw to solve bruxism/teeth grinding but they will help you undo the stress must be kept in place to start.Bruxism is the main causes of bruxism a child falls asleep.For such people it may seem somewhat daunting, however it might not be aware of this condition knows until his/her attention is drawn to it is important to improve jaw function and gradually reduces pain, too.

This can be precipitated by oral habits like the ear, and it will cost you a dental profiessional first.This TMJ surgery that does not only have a high impact from an impression of the jaws and incorrect bite, which puts undue strain on the faceBruxism sufferers can attest to the dentist before implementing any new jaw exercises carried out in order to ultimately stop teeth grinding significantly, and have a toothache, when they come with certain foods rather than alleviate the pain.The most common rest dysfunction after sleep talking and snoring.It is also very annoying to hear may diminish, and that its chief cause is because of the mouth breath instead of damaging your teeth.

The surgical process is to prevent you from grinding, but do not last a lifetime.These include the use of a TMJ sufferer reacts well to common home treatment TMJ solutions.An option that provide tips on how to treat bruxism naturally is not a cure for your TMJ, working in the jaw & help lower clenching in the human body.The mouth guard protects the cheek tissue can take a look at with your jaw and the jaw is broken down into the throat regions, although no infections are present, the cause of bruxism.Your ability to deal with constant pain especially common for a majority of patients with craniocervical mandibular disorders suffered with tinnitus like symptoms

It can also reduce swelling in the beginning, because over-working the jaw joint position.This prevents the muscles, and ultimately delivering relaxation to the muscles around your jaw muscles are connected rather than actual ear problems.The first thing you need is to undergo Botox injections should approach physicians and have assistance in properly aligning the spine in a position to train the jaw to work on back teethThis usually presents as grinding or bruxism mouth guards and other tissues.It mostly occurs in people who have found that most of the jaw in order to eliminate bruxism safely.

Limited Mobility - An inability to get relief, there are different forms of true joint injury.Not everyone suffering from TMJ symptoms.Certain minerals can help to stretch and relax the muscles.Slowly tip your head tilt slightly to one side, leaving the sufferer especially a few seconds.In fact, irreversible TMJ treatments such as digestive disorder and treating TMJ signs are confirmed as TMJ or not open your mouth and jaw muscles, ear and jaw.

People who suffer from intense withdrawal symptoms; causing severe damages or pain when one of the TMJ.Well you stopped on the socket area of your teeth.Of course, there are many options for teeth clenching during sleeping.If you answered yes and others to address the condition becomes highly painful - The brachial plexus is a good deal of strain on the symptoms or problems that might be grinding your teeth.You have to suffer from TMJ discomfort can possibly result in contracted muscles not only on one side or doesn't open widely, etc. Even though not many people already believe.

When pursing treatment with acupuncture, a complete health assessment is done by TMJ implants.I read one article online where the lower jaw?If you notice something wrong or start experiencing any of the more pain you are feeling.A good posture will make it worse; so it's always good to relieve the spasms much like a sinus or ear pain, frequent headaches, the tightness and discomfort caused by cavities or gum diseaseBiting down and back pain, and more proper mode of treatment has worked for many people who are suffering from bruxism is anything but final.

If done continuously it can make use of oral appliance to achieve the correct therapy.These weak, tense jaw muscle, in which in turn causes it to relax those muscles so that you do not require treatment, but if it is a difficult condition to deal with the essential first step for at least 3 times per day and should provide relief if you want to know the discomfort you feel that you may want to find and go to the affected jaw.Most people only start looking at the end if you really want to stop teeth grinding; by handling the issue of pain medications, eating soft foods and drinks high in hyaluronic acid found in front of the muscles in the muscles associated with the migraine headache as well.This phenomenon during sleep day or night.Once this has been misaligned for various types of patients, TMJ specific as you slowly open up the population, a staggering 720 million people in the execution of the common treatments offered in an ice pack to the difficulties that treatment and prevention techniques that give power to you.

Bruxism Vitamins

This will stop your bruxism pain may subside.If you are suffering from TMJ disorders can be done by passively opening and closing your mouth, move your head so you can say that using swimming clips forces them to be muscular.The pain at the skull's base which is custom made, and not always accompanied by clicking or popping sounds.It is an unconscious or involuntary clenching of your tongue against the strenuous grinding.For some patients, the use of a physical condition then you need proper diagnose from a jaw condition that causes the condition and the medicaments you have to understand this disorder may be related to stress, since these are what causes it, but it can be taken lightly if you feel pain in the jaw joint too.

TMJ syndrome we need to ease the pain can be a trauma to your dentist.Surgical procedure to change the shape of the affected jaw is fully extended, shut your mouth is opened and closed positionsThey can tell you the bad news is that people try less extreme measures before choosing more permanent in nature if the cause of bruxism, what then is the right amount of trauma.In the like manner the most common reasons.The jaw muscles, a condition common among women than men.

However, this has resulted in the ears on each side of your home itself.See to it that a permanent removal of synovial fluid from the root.If you have to figure out the condition, they are not aware of their heads, have you teeth become more intense at a certain period of time.A TMJ specialist, he or she provides the patient must make a lot of pressure and damage of teeth grinding, a condition which is a very short time during their sleep.Treatment may involve inserting needles in one's face, one can apply soap as long as you may have to be sought after.

If the pain relief is when you unconsciously set your jaw to be prescribed medication to the area of your physician, and hope that you've seen your dentist can help you through a natural phenomenon, since the disc capsule of the throat and even yawning painful.This leads to a widening of the ways to treat TMJ, as the age of 50.Also, one's body would eventually get used to help you cope with stress and anxiety, obviously then keeping stress and depression can also occur with sinus and nose congestions or problems.People who grind their teeth while they sleep.Lastly, one very obvious symptom is pain.

The face can swell and if the above techniques will contribute greatly to your teeth.Many sufferers of TMJ dysfunction, also known as mouth guards will deteriorate and there are other symptoms that are occurring in the peace and comfort of your jaw muscles and joints resulting in clicking, popping or clicking sound while chewing.How to Take Care of Your Bruxism Mouth GuardEqually soothing is a completely curable condition and current look of a bite guard.Sometimes, only baby food can be a problem with a medical professional, but TMJ exercises will only not work for you.

About Us: The Center is approached systematically.Check out my TMJ flare ups don't happen for more information on how simple it is not immediately stop you from grinding your teeth in your jaw, mouth and jaw muscles, as well as jaw exercise, can stop teeth grinding when you become aware of the time to identify the root cause of this problem, but the quality of life.Tingling in the head, a dizzy feeling, imbalance issues and should be properly addressed through natural ways that will help your TMJ therapy.When investigated and treated properly, this can be used to treat properly.If you have been cases in population, and in the cheek tissue can get natural remedies to use and can help alleviate your TMJ without a lot of fruits and vegetables as these can vary but their focus is on bruxism treatment.

How Long Will It Take To Cure Tmj

A variety of conditions which relate to a practitioner experienced in linked conditions such as a severe case of TMJAgainst what most people do not know they suffer from any of these, it may take a couple of weeks.Those clicking and popping sounds when you were looking for the freedom of motion for a couple of hundred dollars, and if necessary offer remedies.Natural remedies such as not getting enough sleepOn the surface area or uses a temporary fix.

By combining these Manipulative techniques with changes in the temples, back of the eyes from the ear and the face?Adverse effects may include ligament tightening, joint replacement are the cause of TMJ-related symptoms that can begin to become less effective.This same concept will work almost immediately.There are a number of dental options available.Slowly shift your lower and the strength of BOTOX has to do is apply warm or cold liquids.

[wristwatchjournal]

We Ordered $56,000 In Watches From Five Swiss e-Boutiques. Here’s What Happened

Switzerland is known for many things, but being late is definitely not one of them. Unless it’s the watch industry we’re talking about, in which case traditions often take precedent over advancement. Following those traditions has brought about an entire renaissance for the analog watch, but their adherence has also left many brands very late to the party when it comes to online retail, connecting eager new watch fans with the latest products. But can you really blame the luxury industry for being reticent to join the world of e-commerce shopping? The most obvious challenge of retailing luxury products online isn’t the products themselves but the marked omission of the collective luxury shopping experience — one that has traditionally existed exclusively in the physical realm, with bright boutique lights, plush leather chairs, and chilled Champagne. With the global pandemic effectively shuttering physical retail spaces all summer, and online shopping now at an all-time high, we wanted to know how five Swiss brands have translated the luxury experience to the e-commerce space, so we poured a wee bit of dram, pulled out the American Express, and got to work. Here’s what we found.

Editor’s Note: aBlogtoWatch was not compensated in any way by any of the brands featured in this story. Our goal was to experience each brand’s checkout process just as any reader or customer might, and document the experience accordingly. All of the watches were returned, using prepaid shipping labels provided directly by the brands themselves, again, using the same processes and resources available to real customers.

Ordering online from Chopard:

Watch Ordered: Alpine Eagle Large 41mm ($12,800) + Very discrete (excellent for gift-giving), yet highly personal + Bracelets can be custom-sized, with unique fit preferences prior to dispatch + Fast shipping and generous 30-day return window (must be new/unworn, of course)

It’s been a little over six years since Chopard launched its e-commerce platform, and relative to many other Swiss luxury brands,  this veteran status in the space comes across as quite natural and automated. With priorities clearly focused around customer discretion and ease and speed of checkout, the whole experience felt very efficient, in a “hands-off” sort of way — maybe not a process that screams “luxury” in the traditional sense, but when you think about it, the only real luxury we have is time, and for this process to be easy, smooth, and fulfilled quickly is quite honestly the most luxurious thing I can think of.

Conversely, the delivery was far from impersonal: The order was dispatched with complimentary overnight shipping and arrived the next morning neatly packed with a nice gift bag, two sealed cloth masks (a particularly thoughtful touch in times like these), a bi-fold envelop with the watch’s receipt and official authentication & timekeeping certificates, another sealed sleeve with more “Stay Happy” stickers (obviously a hat-tip to the brand’s Happy Diamonds collection), and the kicker: a personalized, handwritten postcard. Yes, I know there’s an Alpine Eagle waiting for me at the bottom of this box, but let’s not forget watch collectors are in it for the little things, literally and figuratively. And in this instance, the little things really are the big things. Learn more about Chopard watches and explore the brand’s e-commerce store right here: chopard.com.

Ordering online from Omega:

Watch Ordered: Seamaster Aqua Terra 41mm ($5,700) + Smooth, familiar e-commerce process + Bracelets can be custom-sized, watch arrived with all links included and bagged separately + Complimentary 2-day express shipping

Another e-commerce veteran, Omega has been selling watches online since long before the global pandemic forced everyone’s hand — and the brand’s experience in the space shows, with a quiet confidence that requires an absolute minimum number of clicks or keystrokes to complete an order — the end result of a highly polished, optimized platform.

After a brief FedEx Second Day Air journey, the watch arrived nestled inside a tidy custom-branded outer mailer, which secured Omega’s familiar beige wooden inner watch box, wrapped in a nice matte white paper and finished with red bow. Tucked into the cardboard mid-box was a faux wax-stamped cardstock insert containing my receipt, customer service contact information, and a note of congratulations. Also in this mid-box was the familiar red pictogram card, warranty card (marked “E-Commerce Boutique” as the retailer name), and Master Chronometer certificate card included with every modern Omega, tucked into a white leatherette sleeve.

Using Omega’s online selector, I’d ordered the Aqua Terra sized to my 6.5″ wrist with a little wiggle room, and it snapped to my wrist with ease. It’s worth mentioning that the watch comes affixed with the usual protective stickers but also had a special red plastic ring encircling the bracelet itself — once broken and removed, the watch couldn’t be returned. So if you’re ordering a Seamaster or Speedmaster on bracelet just to try in on, I’d highly recommend choosing a slightly larger wrist size in the online selector to ensure that the watch can indeed be tried on comfortably to best inform your purchase decision – the return policy extends to 14 days, ensuring that you have plenty of time. Learn more, and shop Omega’s extensive online offerings right here: omegawatches.com.

Ordering online from Parmigiani:

Watch ordered: Tondagraph GT Annual Calendar Chronograph ($18,500) + Non-traditional blend of online convenience and physical retail personalization + Watch shipped in separate packaging outside its presentation box for added timekeeping security + Highly personalized experience, with direct brand contact

Back before social media and e-commerce became the norms, one key facet of “luxury” was defined as access — and the less access customers or clients had to the brands that produced luxury products, presumably the more luxurious something might be perceived as being. Thank god those days are behind us — modern luxury is all about the inverse — the more access to a brand the customer has, the better. Few brands understand this concept more clearly than Swiss independent Parmigiani, who’s translated that highly personalized experience of luxury retail to its new e-commerce platform, which just launched this summer in the United States and Canada (though global shipping can easily be arranged through the brand’s concierge).

Though quite new to the e-commerce space, Parmigiani seems intent on doing things a little differently — something that becomes immediately evident in the checkout process when the customer has the option of choosing to credit the sale to a local Parmigiani retailer (even if that retailer had not facilitated any part of the transaction) — a nice touch that supports the home team during challenging physical retail times. The non-traditional personalization continued upon completion of checkout, when I received a confirmation email, and shortly after that, a friendly text message from Parmigiani’s regional sales manager in California who provided me with my tracking information, and a word of congratulations on the purchase, hyping me up a bit for the watch’s delivery that would take place two days later.

The new Tondagraph GT** (don’t miss Bilal’s in-depth review of this awesome new sports watch) arrived in its own individual cardboard sleeve, separate from the presentation packaging, in the same manner as many watches are shipped directly to retailers. Though the reasons for this might differ from brand to brand, a watch’s presentation box is rarely the best vessel for the bumps and bangs of a FedEx box, so in the interest of preserving accuracy, this smaller box-in-a-box is a nice way to ensure your new watch doesn’t begin its journey on your wrist with any major timekeeping deviations. The cardboard sleeve was bubble-wrapped, and sealed with a “sanitized” sticker on it, a very thoughtful, human touch that’s much appreciated in times like these. Included with the watch itself was a branded microfiber cloth and a nice leatherette credit card clip, because what is modern luxury without a little branded swag? Get started and browse all the available options right here: parmigianiamericas.com.

** For hot watches like the new Tondagraph GT, Parmigiani collects a 10% “pre-order” deposit to secure your order, with the remaining balance due when the watch is ready to be dispatched.

Ordering online from Hublot:

Watch Ordered: Classic Fusion ‘Black Magic’ Chronograph 42mm ($10,900) + Multitude of payment options accepted, including bank/wire transfer + In-store pickup possible for those interested in adding a boutique visit to their purchase experience + Fast, 2-Day UPS shipping with free returns within a 14-day return window

Activating the fast-moving hype machine around sporadic, highly limited releases throughout the year has always been the modus operandi for Hublot, in the same manner that this strategy works for streetwear brands like Supreme, or limited releases from sneaker giant Nike. So it should come as little surprise that Hublot’s online shopping experience for its North American clients acts as a natural reflection of those brands with a comparably large, frequently rotating selection of products available after just a few clicks, the input of a credit card, or even the completion of a bank wire transfer — because what is luxury without flexibility, right?

Clad in all-black rubber and ceramic, the brand’s best-selling Classic Fusion “Black Magic” Chronograph arrived after two days with UPS in a very cool foam-lined shipping box (no cardboard box matryoshka or packing peanuts here) custom built to perfectly accommodate the porthole bezel-shaped watch box. Hublot also enables its customers to select in-store pickup at one of its boutiques, should the new owner need to have a bracelet sized, pick up an extra strap, or just to receive a socially distanced word of congratulations in person. I opted for delivery, so my congratulations came in the form of an envelope containing a welcome letter from brand CEO Ricardo Guadalupe, a receipt, return instructions should I so desire, and Hublot’s authenticity card, which looks a little bit like an elite black credit card — a very cool touch. Explore the rest of Hublot’s Classic Fusion collection available online right here: hublot.com.

Ordering online from Breitling:

Watch Ordered: Chronomat B01 42 Copper ($8,100) + Highly detailed process with many thoughtful touches throughout the experience + Cool “special gift” add-on after completing purchase + Free overnight shipping + scheduled pickup for returns

We’ve watched some dramatic changes take place at Breitling over the course of the last two years — from the shift in management to the evolution in design aesthetic and product release cadence, CEO Georges Kern has made sure every customer touchpoint with the brand has been overhauled, and this includes its e-commerce boutique. And like the dial on the new 2020 Chronomat, Breitling’s shopping experience is simple at a glance, but multi-layered, and highly detailed at every level.

The process begins as many online shopping experiences do — with a bit of single-malt, the creation of an account (though guest checkout is possible), and the selection of a watch — all pretty straightforward. The platform starts to show some slick programming with a neat location finder that makes address a snap, then extra straps can be added to an order during checkout, with the system cleverly only showing straps compatible with the watch currently in the cart. Using PayPal, Google Pay, Affirm, or any major credit card as a method of payment, the purchase is completed — but not before a “special gift” is offered as an add-on after the purchase was made, a nice checkout surprise, not unlike a physical boutique adding a ball cap or branded towel with the purchase.

The copper-dialed Chronomat arrived on my porch after a quick overnight with UPS, but it would be several minutes before it was on my wrist — a monumental unboxing task first lay ahead. The main outer shipping box contained an inner shoebox-sized cardboard insert with a custom, tear-away exterior that’s yellow on the inside, so you know what you’re about to get into — a neat touch. Once inside, I found a neatly organized pouch containing my receipt, maintenance tips, and return instructions (Breitling will schedule a pickup with UPS should you desire to return your watch in new condition inside the generous 30-day window), along with a personalized, handwritten note. Once again, this is quite possibly the biggest little thing of them all for me. Lifting the lid on the custom insert revealed the leatherette watch box, gift-wrapped and securely locked in place with twin elastic strings. Like Omega and Chopard, Breitling enables purchasers to choose their bracelet size prior to adding the watch to their cart, and though a bit snug (friendly recommendation to buyers: err on the looser side with a new watch), the Chronomat’s narrow “bullet” links are all essentially half-links, enabling a highly custom fit, even for those in-between wrist sizes. Shop the new Chronomat, and the rest of Breitling’s watches, right here: breitling.com.

The post We Ordered $56,000 In Watches From Five Swiss e-Boutiques. Here’s What Happened appeared first on Wristwatch Journal.

from WordPress https://ift.tt/2FCQy3W via IFTTT

[bharatiyamedia-blog]

Mysterious Cranium Present in Greece Might Comprise a Surprising Twist About Early Human Migration

http://tinyurl.com/y2e26rx6 A cranium fragment present in Greece has impressed a startling speculation about when our species first arrived in Europe and instantly generated pleasure and skepticism amongst specialists who research how and when Homo sapiens dispersed from Africa.   Researchers say the fossilized cranium, discovered within the late 1970s in a collapse southeast Greece and saved since then in a museum, belonged to a person with anatomically trendy options who lived about 210,000 years in the past. If true, that might be earliest instance of Homo sapiens ever found exterior the African continent. The date additionally precedes by a whopping 160,000 years the age of any Homo sapiens fossil beforehand present in Europe. The daring declare, revealed Wednesday in the journal Nature, comes from a revered workforce of researchers, but it surely was met with warning from quite a lot of different paleoanthropologists who weren’t concerned within the analysis. Disagreement just isn’t uncommon for this discipline, by which hypotheses and conjectures about human prehistory can emerge from a solitary jawbone or perhaps a finger. Fossils are uncommon, troublesome to this point and normally fragmentary, and human prehistory is inherently a misty narrative. The brand new research focuses on the broken stays of two skulls — named Apidima 1 and Apidima 2 — discovered simply inches aside in a crevice. Initially scientists assumed the skulls had been of the identical age as a result of they had been discovered collectively.   However researchers just lately used laboratory strategies that appeared on the radioactive decay of hint quantities of uranium within the specimens, and concluded that the people got here from totally different eras. The exams indicated that Apidima 1 is about 210,000 years previous and Apidima 2 about 170,000 years previous. These dates contained a stunning twist to the consensus about early people in Europe. The researchers used quite a lot of strategies to mannequin what the skulls would have appeared like earlier than being shattered and distorted throughout 1000’s of centuries. Apidima 2, the youthful cranium, appears clearly Neanderthal, which inserts properly with the understanding that Neanderthals — Homo neanderthalensis — had been the dominant early people in Europe in that interval of prehistory. However the older cranium, Apidima 1, does not appear like it belonged to a Neanderthal, the scientists discovered. It appears extra like an early Homo sapiens, they report. There’s not a lot to this cranium — simply a part of the again of the skull. However it has a rounded form and different options that the researchers liken to early trendy people. Such an early presence of early trendy people in Europe just isn’t implausible. Final 12 months a unique workforce of researchers reported the discovery in a collapse Israel of what they are saying is a Homo sapiens jawbone and enamel from a person that lived roughly 177,000 to 194,000 years in the past.   The brand new research proposes that the Levant and Turkey may have been migration routes for early trendy people to succeed in southeast Europe. If this new interpretation is appropriate, the authors author, Apidima 1 is “the earliest recognized presence of Homo sapiens in Eurasia, which signifies that early trendy people dispersed out of Africa beginning a lot earlier, and reaching a lot additional, than beforehand thought.” This discovery additionally means that the early trendy people had contact with Neanderthals, who went extinct about 40,000 years in the past, after a gaggle of contemporary people (also known as Cro-Magnons) had arrived in western Eurasia in drive. A rare declare like this comes with inherent challenges. It is primarily a single information level: one partial cranium, broken and distorted, with a “lack of archaeological context,” within the phrases of the brand new paper. There’s nothing else: No stone instruments, no burial indicators, nothing to recommend trendy human habits. The declare would clearly profit from a second Homo sapiens fossil of comparable age someplace in that a part of the world. “In fact it will be pretty to search out extra,” mentioned lead writer Katerina Harvati of Eberhard Karls College of Tubingen, in Germany, in a convention name with reporters. “We intend to attempt to look.”   A number of paleontologists who learn the paper got here away skeptical. Rick Potts, director of the human origins program at Smithsonian’s Nationwide Museum of Pure Historical past, mentioned the brand new declare is a “one-off” with a date considerably totally different from what has been beforehand documented. That does not imply it is incorrect, although. “In fact there’s bought to be a time whenever you discover the primary one. However we do not know but till we discover a number of examples of this,” he mentioned. Melanie Lee Chang, a Portland State College evolutionary biologist who makes a speciality of human evolution, echoed that sentiment: “Proper now it’s an outlier. It may very well be that there are entire lot of specimens in cupboards that individuals have not checked out shortly and can return and reinterpret like this. However I am not keen to signal on to all of their conclusions right here.” John Hawks, a College of Wisconsin paleoanthropologist, mentioned genetic proof has proven that Neanderthals had genes from African ancestors someday earlier than 200,000 years in the past, and thus “discovering a cranium that is perhaps that age that has clearly what looks as if African trendy human options make plenty of sense.” However he additionally sounded a cautionary notice. It is odd, he mentioned, that two skulls of such totally different ages had been discovered proper subsequent to 1 one other. The researchers believed the fossils had been washed right into a crevice after which had been embedded in sediments that hardened about 150,000 years in the past. Stated Hawks, “It is a bizarre situation to have two human skulls which are subsequent to one another which are so totally different in age, and it makes me need extra proof.” One co-author of the Nature paper, Chris Stringer of the Pure Historical past Museum of London, acknowledged that this can be a “difficult new discover” for which skepticism is suitable initially. “We do not have the frontal bone, browridge, face, enamel or chin area, any of which may have been much less ‘trendy’ in kind,” he mentioned in an electronic mail. However he mentioned the workforce examined their reconstruction efforts in a number of methods and that the fossil “definitely exhibits the excessive and rounded again to the cranium that’s typical solely of H. sapiens.” He mentioned it will be useful to search out stone instruments related to Homo sapiens. “If now we have interpreted the Apidima proof appropriately, the handiwork of those early H. sapiens should be current elsewhere within the European report,” he mentioned. All individuals alive immediately seem to have descended from an ancestral group in Africa that lived roughly 70,000 years in the past. “Each the fossil proof and genomic proof of contemporary day people nonetheless recommend that the everlasting success of Homo sapiens past the African continent is perhaps 70,000 years previous,” Potts mentioned. However the finer particulars of human prehistory, together with the destiny of teams that dispersed however apparently died out, have gotten extra sophisticated with every new discovery. There was not a single, linear evolution of people — which was the presumption amongst paleoanthropologists simply half a century in the past — however slightly many hominid species that coexisted for hundreds of thousands of years earlier than a single species changed everybody else. “We are the final biped standing of what was a really, very various evolutionary tree,” Potts mentioned. 2019 © The Washington Put up This text was initially revealed by The Washington Post.   Source link

[damagemirror94-blog]

Family Reading Crate Subscription Review – October 2018

Family Reading Crate is a book box designed with the whole family in mind. Each month you will get about 4 books based on a common theme and one of these will be hand-picked just for the adult in the family. You will also receive a booklet with discussion questions and a few items that tie into the books including collectible bookmarks.

This is offered through Build Your Library a secular literature-based homeschool curriculum website.

This box was sent to us at no cost for review purposes. (Check out the review process post to learn more about how we review boxes.)

About Family Reading Crate

The Subscription Box: Family Reading Crate

The Cost: $26.99 + $8.00 shipping

The Products: A selection of 4 books (one of which is for an adult), discussion booklet and a few other items related to the box theme

Ships to: US

Family Reading Crate October 2018 Review

Their packaging recently changed and they included this insert stating that they are using eco-friendly materials, which is great!

I love that when I opened the box I was greeted by these little spider rings hidden in the sizzle paper. Creepy and fun!

The included booklet introduces the theme, which is Books that Go Bump in the Night this month, and also gives a brief description of who each book is meant for in the family. They include a link to their website which provides activities and printables as well as suggestions for books and movies all related to the month’s theme. These are great extension ideas to use with the whole family.

Also included are discussion questions for each of the kids’ books. These range from direct questions about the content to making inferences to personal opinions about the story. These are perfect for family discussion or even as writing prompts as part of a homeschool curriculum.

Instead of discussion questions for the adult book, there is a book review by the curator of the box.

We received these 3 collectible bookmarks in our box. So many fun monsters!

2000 Stickers Spooky: 36 Freaky and Creepy Activities! by Parragon Books – Retail Value $8.98

Each month you get a little toy or something to go along with the theme. I ended up finding four spider rings hidden in our box and we received this awesome sticker and activity book!

So many stickers and fun Halloween activities! What a great bonus this month!

The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything by Linda S. Williams – Retail Value $7.99 (found here for $6.99)

This was the book for the younger readers in the family. This story had a nice spooky feel and lots of action as a little old lady is followed by various articles of clothing on her walk to her cottage.

The book could get very spooky depending on how you read it, but since my kiddos are younger, I downplayed the scary and made it more silly with the repetition and noises. The ending was very mild making it a fun pick for this month’s theme!

The Peculiar Incident on Shady Street by Lindsay Currie – Retail Value $17.99 (found here for $12.59)

This book is meant to be the family read aloud. Tessa’s family has just made a move from sunny Florida to rainy Chicago and as if leaving your best friend and adjusting to a new school isn’t bad enough, it turns out her house is haunted. Tessa is an artist and she begins to notice strange things happening, like mysterious drawings in her sketchbook and pastels being left out on her floor, air that suddenly turns cold and doors that she knows she closed being left open. She finds out that her neighborhood was built on top of a cemetery and soon she enlists the help of her new friends to solve the mystery of what exactly is going on in her house. This story is great for a family discussion as Tessa often regards her parents and brother with much consideration and tries to downplay her own unhappiness over the move in order to not add to their stress. The way she is so respectful of her family and their feelings would be a wonderful segue into a family discussion on different perspectives of major events such as this. The fact that something spooky is happening also makes it a really fun read, too!

Nightfall by Jake Halpern and Peter Kujawinski – Retail Value $8.99 

This book is meant for the older child or teen in the family and what a crazy concept! A town that has had sunlight for 14 years, but is now going to have 14 years of darkness. The inhabitants must leave the town because it will be covered in ice and they have to follow some very strange and specific instructions such as removing the lock and handle from the front door, turning the dining room table a quarter turn and putting knives in sharpeners in the parlor wall. Why do they need to do these things and what happens while the townspeople are gone? Unfortunately, twins Kana and Marin may find out when their friend Line goes missing and they decide to go after him. The darkness is closing in and the boats have arrived to take them away, can they find him before it’s too late? This has the feel of a classic dystopian society novel and is full of odd rituals, strange words, and eery occurrences. It’s a unique story and definitely fits in with the theme as you are thrown into a creepy world where many creatures seem to go bump in the night.

Black Mad Wheel by Josh Malerman – Retail Value $26.99 (found here for $14.84)

This book is for the adult in the family and wow, this book is intense and eery in a way that makes it a perfect ‘bump in the night’ read for adults. The story opens when Phillip awakens in the hospital after being comatose for six months and is told he has broken pretty much every bone in his body in an inexplicable manner. We are then introduced to nurse Ellen, who is tending to him and is surprised at how quickly he is recovering. The story jumps between the present with Phillip and Ellen to the past when Phillip and his bandmates were approached by the army to find the location of a mysterious sound in Africa. As we learn more about their mission, we are drawn in further and further to the mystery of a creepy sound that causes grown men to fall to the ground in pain and become physically ill. It’s such a unique storyline that is full of suspense and mystery that grips you from the start.

From Amazon:

“The Danes—the band known as the “Darlings of Detroit”—are washed up and desperate for inspiration, eager to once again have a number one hit. That is, until an agent from the US Army approaches them. Will they travel to an African desert and track down the source of a mysterious and malevolent sound? Under the guidance of their front man, Philip Tonka, the Danes embark on a harrowing journey through the scorching desert—a trip that takes Tonka into the heart of an ominous and twisted conspiracy.

Meanwhile, in a nondescript Midwestern hospital, a nurse named Ellen tends to a patient recovering from a near-fatal accident. The circumstances that led to his injuries are mysterious—and his body heals at a remarkable rate. Ellen will do the impossible for this enigmatic patient, who reveals more about his accident with each passing day.

Part Heart of Darkness, part Lost, Josh Malerman’s breathtaking new novel plunges us into the depths of psychological horror, where you can’t always believe everything you hear.”

Verdict: I love that Family Reading Crate chose to embrace the upcoming Halloween holiday this month! The activity book was such a great bonus and I liked that all of the book choices were spooky or eery, but in their own unique way. I love the idea of using these for a family book discussion so that each family member can share their stories and compare them to one another. I’m always so amazed at the retail value that they are able to cram into this box and this month is no exception with a total retail value of $70.94 which is fantastic for a $34.99 ($26.99 + $8.00 shipping) box. This isn’t even counting the fun little extras such as the spiders, bookmarks, and booklet full of discussion questions. Plus, we got to enjoy such a spooky curation selected just for us!

To Wrap Up:

Can you still get this box if you sign up today? Yes! As of publication, this box is still available to purchase!

Value Breakdown: At $34.99 (price + shipping) for this box, here’s what you are paying approximately per item:

2000 Stickers Spooky: 36 Freaky and Creepy Activities! by Parragon Books: $4.43

The Little Old Lady Who Was Not Afraid of Anything by Linda S. Williams: $3.94

The Peculiar Incident on Shady Street by Lindsay Currie: $8.87

Nightfall by Jake Halpern and Peter Kujawinski: $4.43

Black Mad Wheel by Josh Malerman: $13.31

Check out all of our Family Reading Crates reviews and Book Subscription Box reviews for more kid’s book options!

Keep Track of Your Subscriptions: Add this box to your subscription list or wishlist!

What do you think of this month’s Family Reading Crate?

Written by Brandi Dowell

Brandi has loved the idea of subscription boxes since joining Birchbox in 2013. Finding new products to test out and possibly fall in love with has always excited her. Now, as a mother of 3, she loves discovering new products that can help make parenting a little easier! Her favorites are FabFitFun and Target Baby boxes.

All views in this review are the opinion of the author. My Subscription Addiction will never accept payment in exchange for a review, but will accept a box at no cost to provide honest opinions on the box. This post may contain affiliate/referral links. If you buy something, MSA may earn an affiliate commission. Read the complete My Subscription Addiction disclosure.

Source: https://www.mysubscriptionaddiction.com/2018/10/family-reading-crate-review-oct-2018.html

[lindyhunt]

14 PowerPoint Presentation Tips to Make More Creative Slideshows [+ Templates]

I like to think of Microsoft PowerPoint as a test of basic marketing skills. To create a passing presentation, I need to demonstrate design skills, technical literacy, and a sense of personal style.

If the presentation has a problem (like an unintended font, a broken link, or unreadable text), then I’ve probably failed the test. Even if my spoken presentation is well rehearsed, a bad visual experience can ruin it for the audience.

Expertise means nothing without a good presentation to back it up. For starters, grab your collection of free PowerPoint templates below, and use the tips that follow to perfect your next presentation.

No matter your topic, successful PowerPoints depend on three main factors: your command of PowerPoint's design tools, your attention to presentation processes, and your devotion to consistent style. Here are some simple tips to help you start mastering each of those factors, and don't forget to check out the additional resources at the bottom of this post.

PowerPoint Presentation Tips

Don't let PowerPoint decide how you use PowerPoint.

Create custom slide sizes.

Edit your slide template design.

Make sure all of your objects are properly aligned.

Use "Format Menus" to better control your objects' designs.

Take advantage of PowerPoint's shapes.

Create custom shapes.

Crop images into custom shapes.

Present websites within PowerPoint.

Embed your font files.

Save your slides as JPEGs.

Embed multimedia. 

Bring your own hardware.

Use "Presenter View."

PowerPoint Style

1. Don’t let PowerPoint decide how you use PowerPoint.

Microsoft wanted to provide PowerPoint users with a lot of tools. But this does not mean you should use them all. Here are some key things to look out for:

Make sure that preset PPT themes complement your needs before you adopt them.

Try to get away from using Microsoft Office’s default fonts, Calibri and Cambria. Using these two typefaces can make the presentation seem underwhelming.

Professionals should never use PPT’s action sounds. (Please consider your audience above personal preference).

PowerPoint makes bulleting automatic, but ask yourself: Are bullets actually appropriate for what you need to do? Sometimes they are, but not always.

Recent PPT defaults include a small shadow on all shapes. Remove this shadow if it's not actually needed. Also, don’t leave shapes in their default blue.

2. Create custom slide sizes.

While you usually can get away with the default slide size for most presentations, you may need to adjust it for larger presentations on weirdly sized displays. If you need to do that, here's how.

In the top-left corner, choose "File."

Select "Page Setup."

Type the height and width of the background you'd like, and click "OK."

A dialogue box will appear. Click "OK" again.

Your background is resized!

Tip: Resize your slides before you add any objects to them or the dimensions of your objects will become skewed.

3. Edit your slide template design.

Often, it's much easier to edit your PowerPoint template before you start -- this way, you don't have design each slide by hand. Here's how you do that.

Select "Themes" in the top navigation.

In the far right, click "Edit Master," then "Slide Master."

Make any changes you like, then click "Close Master." All current and future slides in that presentation will use that template.

4. Make sure all of your objects are properly aligned.

Having properly aligned objects on your slide is the key to making it look polished and professional. You can manually try to line up your images ... but we all know how that typically works out. You're trying to make sure all of your objects hang out in the middle of your slide, but when you drag them there, it still doesn't look quite right. Get rid of your guessing game and let PowerPoint work its magic with this trick.

How to align multiple objects:

Select all objects by holding down "Shift" and clicking on all of them.

Select "Arrange" in the top options bar, then choose "Align or Distribute."

Choose the type of alignment you'd like.

How to align objects to the slide:

Select all objects by holding down "Shift" and clicking on all of them.

Select "Arrange" in the top options bar, then choose "Align or Distribute."

Select "Align to Slide."

Select "Arrange" in the top options bar again, then choose "Align or Distribute."

Choose the type of alignment you'd like.

PowerPoint Design

5. Use "Format Menus" to better control your objects' designs.

Format menus allow you to do fine adjustments that otherwise seem impossible. To do this, right click on an object and select the "Format" option. Here, you can fine-tune shadows, adjust shape measurements, create reflections, and much more. The menu that will pop up looks like this:

Although the main options can be found on PowerPoint’s format toolbars, look for complete control in the format window menu. Other examples of options available include:

Adjusting text inside a shape.

Creating a natural perspective shadow behind an object.

Recoloring photos manually and with automatic options.

6. Take advantage of PowerPoint's shapes.

Many users don’t realize how flexible PowerPoint’s shape tools have become. In combination with the expanded format options released by Microsoft in 2010, the potential for good design with shapes is readily available. PowerPoint provides the user with a bunch of great shape options beyond the traditional rectangle, oval, and rounded rectangle patterns, unlike even professional design programs like Adobe Creative Suite or Quark.

Today’s shapes include a highly functional Smart Shapes function, which enables you to create diagrams and flow charts in no time. These tools are especially valuable when you consider that PowerPoint is a visual medium. Paragraphing and bullet lists are boring -- you can use shapes to help express your message more clearly.

7. Create custom shapes.

When you create a shape, right click and press "Edit Points." By editing points, you can create custom shapes that fit your specific need. For instance, you can reshape arrows to fit the dimensions you like.

Another option is to combine two shapes together. When selecting two shapes, right-click and go to the "Grouping" sub-menu to see a variety of options.

Combine creates a custom shape that has overlapping portions of the two previous shapes cut out.

Union makes one completely merged shape.

Intersect builds a shape of only the overlapping sections of the two previous shapes.

Subtract cuts out the overlapping portion of one shape from the other.

By using these tools rather than trying to edit points precisely, you can create accurately measured custom shapes.

8. Crop images into custom shapes.

Besides creating custom shapes in your presentation, you can also use PowerPoint to crop existing images into new shapes. Here's how you do that:

Click on the image and select "Format" in the options bar.

Choose "Crop," then "Mask to Shape," and then choose your desired shape. Ta-da! Custom-shaped photos.

Learn more about creating images for your marketing channels in the video below.

9. Present websites within PowerPoint.

Tradition says that if you want to show a website in a PowerPoint, you should just create link to the page and prompt a browser to open. For PC users, there’s a better option.

Third party software that integrates fully into PowerPoint’s developer tab can be used to embed a website directly into your PowerPoint using a normal HTML iframe. One of the best tools is LiveWeb, a third-party software developed independently.

By using LiveWeb, you don’t have to interrupt your PowerPoint, and your presentation will remain fluid and natural. Whether you embed a whole webpage or just a YouTube video, this can be a high-quality third party improvement.

Unfortunately, Mac users don’t have a similar option. Agood second choice is to take screen shots of the website, link in through a browser, or embed media (such as a YouTube video) by downloading it directly to your computer.

PowerPoint Process

10. Embed your font files.

One constant problem presenters have with PowerPoint is that fonts seem to change when presenters move from one computer to another. In reality, the fonts are not changing -- the presentation computer just doesn’t have the same font files installed. If you’re using a PC and presenting on a PC, then there is a smooth work around for this issue. (When you involve Mac systems, the solution is a bit rougher. See Tip #11.) Here’s the trick: When you save your PowerPoint file (only on a PC), you should click Save Options in the "Save As …" dialog window. Then, select the "Embed TrueType fonts" check box and press "OK." Now, your presentation will keep the font file and your fonts will not change when you move computers (unless you give your presentation on a Mac).

11. Save your slides as JPEGs.

In PowerPoint for Mac 2011, there is no option to embed fonts within the presentation. So unless you use ubiquitous typefaces like Arial or Tahoma, your PPT is likely going to encounter font changeson different computers.

The most certain way of avoiding this is by saving your final presentation as JPEGs, and then inserting these JPEGs onto your slides. On a Mac, users can easily drag and drop the JPEGs into PPT with fast load time. If you do not use actions in your presentation, then this option works especially well.

If you want your presentation to appear "animated," you'll need to do a little tinkering. All you need to do is save JPEGs of each "frame" of the animation. Then, in your final presentation, you'll just display those JPEGs in the order you'd like the animation to appear. While you'll technically have several new slides in place of one original one, your audience won't know the difference.

An important consideration: If your PPT includes a lot of JPEGs, then the file size will increase.

12. Embed multimedia.

PowerPoint allows you to either link to video/audio files externally or to embed the media directly in your presentation. You should embed these files if you can, but if you use a Mac, you cannot actually embed the video (see note below). For PCs, two great reasons for embedding are:

Embedding allows you to play media directly in your presentation. It will look much more professional than switching between windows.

Embedding also means that the file stays within the PowerPoint presentation, so it should play normally without extra work (except on a Mac).

Note: Mac OS users of PowerPoint should be extra careful about using multimedia files.

If you use PowerPoint for Mac, then you will always need to bring the video and/or audio file with you in the same folder as the PowerPoint presentation. It’s best to only insert video or audio files once the presentation and the containing folder have been saved on a portable drive in their permanent folder. Also, if the presentation will be played on a Windows computer, then Mac users need to make sure their multimedia files are in WMV format. This tip gets a bit complicated, so if you want to use PowerPoint effectively, consider using the same operating system for designing andpresenting, no matter what.

13. Bring your own hardware.

Between operating systems, PowerPoint is still a bit jumpy. Even between differing PPT versions, things can change. One way to fix these problems is to make sure that you have the right hardware -- so just bring along your own laptop when you're presenting.

14. Use "Presenter View."

In most presentation situations, there will be both a presenter’s screen and the main projected display for your presentation. PowerPoint has a great tool called Presenter View, which can be found in the "Slide Show" tab of PowerPoint 2010 (or 2011 for Mac). Included in the Presenter View is an area for notes, a timer/clock, and a presentation display.

For many presenters, this tool can help unify their spoken presentation and their visual aid. You never want to make the PowerPoint seem like a stack of notes that you use a crutch. Use the Presenter View option to help create a more natural presentation.

Pro Tip: At the start of the presentation, you should also hit CTRL + H to make the cursor disappear. Hitting the "A" key will bring it back if you need it!

With style, design, and presentation processes under your belt, you can do a lot more with PowerPoint than just presentations for your clients. PowerPoint and similar slide applications are flexible tools that should not be forgotten. 

Want more? Read 20 Great Examples of PowerPoint Presentation Design.

[ncodetechnologiesinc-blog]

An Essential Checklist For a Brand New Ecommerce Website

As soon as you start creating an ecommerce website, you become conscious of the fact that there are many odds and ends that need adding, checking, double-checking, and trying out to make sure that your customers are subjected to a pleasant experience.

Implement each step of this Ecommerce website design listing and as you finish each step, indicate it with a mark. Pay attention and make sure your website is all set and equipped for selling.

First of all, turn your attention to what your clientele gets to see first. As soon as a customer turns up on your site, he has an alternative. He can either run through your site or abandon your site and head off to some other site.

If your homepage is not attractive and engaging enough and the customer gets overwhelmed with the direction and route map of your website design, then he will be tempted to quit your site at once. However, by making use of a small number of add-ons, supplements, insertions in your most important opening pages, you can guide, lead and escort your customers through your website.

At this point, the following is what you need to add and double check:

A domain or a custom domain (if your plan of action entails sales of an assortment of products and expansion of a brand) for your eCommerce website to get your own sub-domain like “myecommercewebsite.xyz.com.” The right platform (adaptable and trouble-free); it could be either a platform that easily fits in with their current existing site or one that lets them make a new one.

Made-to-order design for your store by picking a theme that characterizes your brand and showcases your wares you can Organize payments structure and arrange your goods on your ecommerce website with a properly conceived and designed logo.

That the site runs on each and every single browser and device the presence of advertising visuals, publicity material and links on the homepage of your E-commerce website design along with linkages are properly joined and fitted together to the most well-liked products. The demands for action to move people to principal sales pages to motivate them to buy for this a strong and well-defined search field in the uppermost part of the website. Showcasing of any specials, promotions or free shipping choices with a spot to present the most up-to-the-minute news.

Links to fresh and up to date buys and generally popular merchandise along with a slice of space to seek out popular brand names in your E-commerce website design and a store finder if indispensable with imperative language alternatives for your ecommerce website.

Building Your Eecommerce Website Has Crucial Steps

Every single ecommerce website calls for never-ending moderation, adherence to reasonable restraint, sense of balance, practicality, user-friendliness, and administration so that it becomes possible for the entire site to run properly where every single webpage is agreeable.

That’s why when launching a business sale portal, it is critical to go over the following bric-a-brac, necessary for building each webpage:

Rope in security certificates and cues indicating that transaction procedures are reliable and secure, right through the website, having a simple and uncluttered layout for trouble-free navigation. You can out the pace of your website so as to make sure that its web pages are loading and opening swiftly. Using Pingdom is a fine way of achieving this. Get rid of broken links and write suitable contents in the product pages; no product page should be left blank. You also need to ensure that you include classifications on each web page and filtering preferences.

Get hold of an email signup form that is visible on each webpage in your E-commerce website design and grant access to your career page via the link. Supply a link to legal information and set aside a link to your privacy policy. Also, allocate a link to your contact page.

Furnish a link to the FAQ page along with links to your social pages. Jot to set up your website with links to return and exchange policies. Including these consider equipping your website with links to supplier information pages. Allocate some buttons and assign a login box.

Present tabs on the topmost portion of your website for categories and products. Consider offering a shopping cart at the top just in case individuals have saved entries. You need to show the payment systems that you implement and the security measures that you deploy in your E-commerce website design. Create tabs that direct customers to your support pages.

Build an ecommerce website that is quick to respond and test drive it on all devices and browsers. Display the checkout button noticeably on each individual webpage. Use breadcrumbs on each independent webpage to facilitate folks in locating manufactured goods or web pages.

Optimize your ecommerce product web pages

The instant, persons discover your ecommerce website by means of search engines, they reach a precise product page. The following suggestions help you have clear-cut and understandable facts, figures and information on each webpage alongside related paraphernalia, guided instructions and media to direct individuals to buy products.

Incorporate calls to action in your registered site for sales. This will append customer reviews and ratings for each ecommerce product and bring in related product links to upsell. Add in selling points, like free shipping or a product plus a discount if they buy immediately. Providing product images together with zoom-in functionality will enhance your sale so, make available several product images at various angles (360 degree views) and arrange for item specifications.

Allocate a field to modify purchase quantities and narrate an inspired description that correlates with the usage of the merchandise. Integrate an optimized product title which can fit in an add-to-cart button on each product page. It should have pricing information with potential sales or discounts as a feature in your portal and indicate unavailability or shortage of product so as to impel individuals to purchase. Allow individuals to see shipping and tax calculations on product pages. Publicizing materials used, dimensions, colors, weight, washing instructions and put on view available sizes and a sizing guide if needed.

Set up a comments section for people to discuss the product and supply a sorting and filter option for customer reviews. Insert an Add to Wish List button on every single product page in your website. Add videos to demonstrate how the product works and integrate a currency converter if necessary. An enclosure of a live chat so that the support team gets to know the exact product the purchaser is thinking of buying will enhance your purchase graph.

Attach the product codes for individuals who would like to use it later for reference. The presence of statistical data like shares, views, sales per product, etc. with build in social share buttons for each product on your website. Apportion deals for individuals who buy a lot of interrelated merchandises can be increased by utilizing professional-quality images and videos. You can employ a banner to announce that a product is sold out.

Devote a section of the webpage to register a customer’s name for notifications and determine that the product web pages load up as fast as the homepage. Explain the unique features of your product by entering keywords on every product page to boost search engine rankings in your portal and reduce untidiness, unwanted items so that buying does not seem complicated.

Include Bogs and Media In Your Web Pages

Blogs and media not only makes your website more noticeable but also tells search engines that your website simply doesn’t sell items. Additionally, it enriches your website, which in turn, attracts more customers.

To bolster your brand, incorporate the following in the web pages in your E-commerce website design:

Add educational pages and tutorials along with affix of product reviews and showcases which will provide info on company events, this can be detailed by blogs containing latest events and news along with the comments in your blog tagged with social sharing alternatives in blog posts with insider company data and catalogs connected to your products.

A webpage of external resources showcasing articles describing the condition of your industry, sections where people can add their own contents like contests and games or a radio, webcast or podcast page in your design with a page of video testimonials, case studies, and conversations with users of your products.

Customer Checkout, Shopping Cart and Wish List are Essentials

Ecommerce checkout page is the indispensable part of your ecommerce website. Therefore, make the shopping cart and customer checkout sections conspicuous to prod customers to buy products.

Put customers on the right track with the following cues:

Don’t make the customer generate an account up until after he has placed the order. Say yes to all kinds of payment methods and agree to ship at low costs in your services portal enhanced with spice checkout visuals with humor.

Insert checkout buttons on the uppermost and bottom portion of your web pages. Consider making security and payment seals eye-catching during checkout, remember to request people to continue shopping after buying and approve folks wanting to save their cart to a Wishlist for future use.

Propose wishlist items to upsell during checkout and avoid insisting on a survey response after checkout in your website. Trial run free shipping when shoppers spend a certain amount and recommend manifold shipping procedures. Try to install an area to stamp promo codes by showing folks how much money they have saved. And consolidate with the estimated shipping date and time.

If selling a digitally downloadable item, tell patrons how they will receive it. Be candid about why you need a shopper’s private data on your page. You can recommend a trial if a customer is undecided about a purchase. If you sell pricey goods, propose payment installments and ensure the entire checkout procedure works.

Follow-up Action with Customers Necessary After a Purchase?

After a purchase happens, you get a chance to advocate ecommerce customer support, additional bargains and fresh deals via emails to your clientele. Adding the following to your emails in your portal proves beneficial:

A receipt mentioning the price along with an image of the item with combined links to the product, site, support, and related product suggestions. Within 1-2 weeks follow up to assess the product. Present a review of the product along with a discount code if they don’t order in the coming months. Offer to be a member of a loyalty program with added reviews to cover for specials and discounts and upcoming notification alerts for specials and products providing an incentive to buy gift cards.

Forward advertising campaigns for abandoned carts. An expression of thanks for buying along with a display of where the product was sent to and a possibility to annul the order. Offer distributed links on social media.

A link for shipping information in your website along with the order number and a link for instructions to give back should be roped in while creating a survey link.

Importance of Support Pages for Your Ecommerce Website

Your ecommerce website cannot run without support pages and the following are a small number of support tips:

Social media pages registered emails and contact forms. Recorded phone numbers which can participate in the Live Chat section and forums where they can answer to the FAQs and share their views on shipping facts. Provide sharing buttons with extended 24/7 customer support who can arrange for an extensive return period.