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  • Coolest TVs Seen at CES 2019

    Coolest TVs Seen at CES 2019

    CES 2019 has came and went, and we’ve seen a ton of new technology that is more than exciting for the future. The consumer electronics show was also the first place that 8K TVs were seen in an official setting! This exciting new TV panel development is a big step forward in the world of display panels.

    Today we’re breaking down some of the coolest TVs we saw at the 2019 Consumer Electronics Show. From rollable displays to massive, immersive 8K screens, there are a number of TV screens to be excited about in the coming year.

    Coolest TV Screens Seen at CES 2019

    LG OLED65R9

    Let’s start with the show-stopper, the LG OLED65R9. This massive OLED display rolls up when not in use. Yeah, it’s finally time to see this tech in real-life. After nearly a decade of hearing about prototype rollable displays, LG is set to be the first to market with the tech later this year or early next year. The display is downright amazing, producing a picture quality that rivals LG’s other OLED displays.

    The screen rolls into its Dolby Atmos speaker stand when it’s not in use. It can be toted relatively easily thanks to the speaker, and the speaker provides awesome sound quality to match the huge, high-end screen. The slick, futuristic design is likely to be a smash-hit when the OLED R line hits the market.

    The OLED R line is comparable in picture quality to the other LG OLED screens releasing in 2019, but the R line is likely to turn more heads. For one thing, the ease of stowing the screen and making the room much more visitor-friendly is a huge plus. For another thing, the R line of screens offers a built-in Dolby Atmos speaker, making these immediate home theater solutions.

    Sony ZG9

    The massive 88 and 95-inch versions of Sony’s ZG9 Master Series screen are set to be the first of these panels to support 8K. The screen is actually a departure from the existing Master Series line that uses OLEDs, in that it uses backlit LED technology that is state-of-the-art.

    The ZG9 also sports upscaling processes to clean up 4K and below images to make them sharper. Many people have noted that if they have a screen with a better resolution than the images they’re displaying, those images tend to look worse than they would on their native display.

    In order to combat this visual degradation, the ZG9 is set to clean up any images that are below that display standard. That’s a good thing, too, since there is currently no existing 8K content to view on one of these bleeding-edge screens.

    Panasonic GZ2000

    This Panasonic screen isn’t the most cutting-edge screen on the list, but it does have a lot going for it. It’s not a concept-style screen in the way that some of the others on this list are. However, it’s a much more straightforward style of screen and will be much more affordable than a lot of the others listed here.

    What makes it special enough to mention here, then? Well, a few things. Firstly, it’s got a brand-new processor running within that attempts to keep the screen much clearer and smoother even on high frame-rate images. The other big selling point to this screen is the Dolby Atmos implementation. Thanks to the aforementioned processor, the sound quality is uniquely excellent.

    In short, this Panasonic TV is going to be a budget option worth looking out for. It’s set to punch well above its weight class, so to speak.

    Samsung 75in Micro LED TV

    Micro LEDs are a huge step forward in screen technology. OLED screens look amazing and offer perfect blacks and great color accuracy. However, they have a few drawbacks. They don’t last as long as LED screens, they consume more energy, and they’re not quite as bright or vibrant as LED screens.

    That’s where Micro LED screens come in. By using a number of smaller LED screens working in concert, the Micro LED technology offers up the best of both worlds. The precise blacks and intense contrast offered by OLED screens pairs with the brightness, efficiency and long-lasting panels of LED screens with this tech.

    The Samsun 75-inch Micro LED is a massive leap ahead in this tech. It’s one of the largest screens that uses this tech that we’ve yet seen. Previously, “The Wall” model showed off this ultra-thin, multiple-display style of panel. This new screen is the natural evolution of this kind of technology, and likely to set a new bar for TV panels.

  • Meet the New 2019 Ford Ranger Pickup

    Meet the New 2019 Ford Ranger Pickup

    Eight years since the last time we saw a Ford Ranger, the line has been resurrected and rides again. That’s right, 2019 is the return of the Ford Ranger! The mean new appearance and steel frame give it a new edge that makes it that much more of a powerhouse. There’s a lot of cool new features on display with the all-new 2019 Ford Ranger. While fans of Ford’s production will love it, is the new Ford Ranger pickup right for the average driver?

    New 2019 Ford Ranger Pickup

    The Body

    In appearance, the new Ford Ranger has more in common visually with its Ford F-150 cousin than the line from which it gets its name. The vehicle is far from an all-new beast, though: the front grille and headlight spacing are both reminiscent of the original Ranger designs.

    Fans of the older, smaller Ford Ranger might be a bit disappointed by the larger body and big cab interior. However, smaller pickups have been out of fashion for a while, and soaring sales of full-sized trucks have driven the trends to bigger vehicles.

    However, those looking for a more trim, zippy truck shouldn’t fret: the new Ranger is still notably smaller than the F-150. The Ranger is definitely a great midway point for those who don’t quite wanta full-sized truck but still want to drive a pick-up truck.

    Under the Hood

    The most notable aspect of any given Ford vehicle is always the engine. Ford’s powertrains are always powerful and impressive, and the new Ford Ranger is no different. The engine puts out a powerful 270-horsepower and does so on a Turbo 4-cylinder build. While it might sound like the engine would slurp down gas like no one’s business, this isn’t even the case! It sports a solid 21 miles per gallon in the city and 26 miles on the highway.

    Options Aplenty

    There are a number of options on display with the Ranger. For instance, there are two different cabs to choose from. SuperCab and SuperCrew each sport variations on the modern Ford interior, including infotainment systems, Ford Sync 3, Alexa functionality and Android Auto or Apple CarPlay.

    Off-roading options are available, including skid plates and off-road tires. Those looking for a meaner machine can also opt for higher power LED head and tail lights, Ford Smart Trailer Tow connector and several other great options. What’s more: even more options are available throughout the various trim levels, letting you choose just how luxurious you want your truck to be.

    Trim Levels

    When the Ford Ranger hits dealerships near you, it’ll be with three trim levels. The first of these is the XL, followed by the XLT trim level and finally the Lariat trim. There are also packages available for off-roading available in the XLT and Lariat trims, the FX4 and FX2 packages. For those who love the look of their vehicles, Sport and Chrome appearance packages are both available to spice up your ride.

    Off-road tuned shocks, Terrain Management system and tuned-up suspension are all available for the off-roading packages. These features might sound familiar to Ford faithful: a lot of these features have already been seen on the F-150 Raptor pattern trucks.  The Terrain Management System, for instance, first appeared on that vehicle. This system helps your vehicle change into different modes for various grass, gravel, sand and snow conditions, allowing it to grip and perform in any terrain.

    As for other features, the trim levels introduce a number of higher-end safety features. For instance, the XLT and Lariat trims both offer blind-spot monitoring, rear park assist, lane departure warning and more. All trim levels will be including emergency braking and a few other features.

    Interior Options

    The Ranger has an infotainment system that sports an 8-inch screen, giving drivers and passengers both access to the fun features within. As we mentioned earlier, all trim levels include Amazon Alexa support as well as Apple and Android phone integration. Passengers can use optional 4G LTE in the vehicle if you opt for this option, and you could also upgrade to the LCD productivity screen for the instrument cluster.

    The productivity screen includes navigation maps and GPS audio at the same time. Another option you can scale up to is the Bang & Olufsen Play audio system. This allows you to upgrade your system if you’re a big audiophile and plan on jamming loud music in your vehicle.

    Pricing and Availability

    The base XL trim starts right at $24,300, which makes the Ranger a very competitively-priced vehicle. This puts it in the same range as the GMC Canyon and Toyota Tacoma vehicles. On the other end of the spectrum, the Lariat trim level with all-wheel drive and all the fixings will run you a solid $38,385, making it a competitor for high-end trucks in the field.

  • Recruitment Tools to Make Your Hiring Process Easier

    Recruitment Tools to Make Your Hiring Process Easier

    Let’s face it: hiring isn’t easy. When you’re looking for top-level people to really make your company fire on all cylinders, it’s hard to find who you need. There’s only so much time in the day, so how do you make the most of it? Going over application by hand is time-consuming, and a lot of headhunter agencies don’t filter out the riff raff.

    Well, if you’re looking for a better way to hire quality people, then you’re in luck. Today we’re going to show you just how to fill out the ranks of your workplace with nothing but the best people with some simple recruitment tools. After all, the backbone of a strong company is a great workforce. Let’s get to hiring!

    Recruitment Tools to Make Your Hiring Process Easier

    Testing Sites

    An often-overlooked type of recruitment tool is the testing site. If you’re hiring for a position that requires quick math skills, or fast recognition, you might want to use one of these services. Despite the relative ease of these sites to filter potential hires, only 57% of companies use these tools! These are some of the best knowledge, skill, abilities and other qualifications (KSAOs) test sites out there.

    Self Management Group is a science-based assessment program that relies on accumulated data to score and test potential hires. The site is well-known for their accurate sales profiling, which is notoriously difficult to pin down over an internet test. Even better, the program is available in over 40 languages.

    HackerRank is a great site to use if you’re trying to hire coders or software engineers. This technical type of assessment is very particular, so this site is a great resource for web-based companies. The site even offers an online interviewing tool!

    Finally, we’ve got pymetrics, a site that works on “bias-free algorithms” to sort candidates. The site is game-like, offering fun games and activities that candidates fill out that then offers up helpful data to employers.

    Job Boards

    One of the most readily available recruitment tools for companies is the job aggregation board. While this one might seem like a simple solution, there’s actually a lot going on with these sites. Let’s look at some of the most popular job posting boards. Remember, nearly half of all hires come from job boards like these.

    Indeed is one of the most well-known such job boards and one of the biggest sources of hires in the US. In fact, the site is so popular that it is accountable for 65% of 2017’s American hires and 72% of interviews conducted during that time. There are over 100 million resumes on the site, so it’s a great resource for companies.

    Next up is Google For Jobs, one of Indeed’s biggest competitors. Salary information, location filters, job bookmarking and selectable job boards. For both employers and job candidates, it’s a really well-made and fleshed-out job posting board.

    Finally, CareerBuilder is currently the second-highest source of hires in the industry, just behind Indeed. They have great surveys for job seekers and offer excellent recruiter tools, making them a very well-rounded career site.

    Applicant Tracking Systems

    ATS are used by nearly all large companies and well over half of all small businesses. ATS programs like Greenhouse, Workday and iCIMS are all quite popular.

    Workday is a fast-growing system that helps track applicants and offers ample backend support for employees. The service also acts as an employment hub for workers through a smartphone app that lets them track their hours and time off.

    Taleo is more recruitment-focused and is a massive organization. In fact, the company was acquired by Oracle in 2012 to the tune of nearly $2 billion. They have a staggering 23% market share, too.

    Greenhouse is a quickly-growing ATS that has taken a large portion of the market in the last 2 years. The service is well known for its unique structure and straightforward hiring and interviewing process.

    iCIMS is the second-largest ATS, behind Taleo, and specializes in content-generation. The service is widely used in office and retail jobs. Their unusual name is actually an acronym for Collaborative Information Management Systems.

    Recruitment CRM Programs

    Candidate Relationship Management programs are a new trend among companies that seek to reach out to entice potential employees. The programs, as their name implies, seek to foster good relationships between employers and candidates to get things off to the right start.

    Notable examples include Ascendify, Avature, Beamery, Smashfly and Yello. Essentially, these sites work as branding that keeps employees engaged with the company’s values and image.

  • What You Should Know about Blood Thinners

    What You Should Know about Blood Thinners

    There are a number of anticoagulants, or blood thinners, on the market. These medications, like warfarin and coumadin, these keep clots from forming in your blood stream. That’s why they’re called anticoagulants, as they keep your blood from coagulating. However, you might be surprised to learn about some of the facts regarding blood thinners potential effects on your health. Are blood thinners safe for you to take?

    Facts You Need to Know About Blood Thinners

    What are Blood Thinners Prescribed For?

    Generally speaking, coumadin, warfarin and the like are prescribed to treat issues like blood clots, atrial fibrillation, pulmonary embolisms and various heart surgeries. They are also often prescribed for procedures like hip replacement. Contrary to popular conception, despite being called blood thinners, these medications don’t actually thin out your blood. Instead, they keep your blood from clotting. This can cause issues in some patient.

    The most commonly prescribed forms of these medications are coumadin and warfarin. They work primarily by blocking K vitamins from operating in the blood. Vitamin K is the molecule responsible for causing platelets to clump together and clot. The use of this medication in recent years has widened to include treatment of atrial fibrillation.

    Other Forms of Blood Thinners

    Warfarin and coumadin are the most common types of blood thinners prescribed, but they’re not the only medications out there for those with atrial fibrillation and the like. Since 2010, in fact, several notable medications have been released. These include Xarelto, Eliquis, and Pradaxa which can also treat conditions like deep vein thrombosis.

    Warfarin and coumadin require frequent blood tests in order to check on the patient’s liver. Unlike those medications, however, these newer medications have no such restrictions and are generally considered to be “safer” on the liver.

    Blood thinners like these are often taken in pill form, and they need not be taken with food in order to be effective. This is a commonly misunderstood aspect of anticoagulants. However, unlike coumadin and warfarin, these new medications don’t interact with as many foods.

    For instance, on traditional blood thinners, you need to be careful about eating foods that can include Vitamin K. Additionally you should also avoid ibuprofen and aspirin, as well as alcohol. This isn’t the case with these newer medications.

    Side Effects

    No anticoagulants are completely without side effects, of course. Whether you’re prescribed traditional anticoagulants or newer ones, there are a few things to keep in mind about these medications. The most major side effect to keep in mind is that these medications keep your blood from clotting even when you are injured. Remember, blood clotting is how your body stops itself from bleeding.

    So, in general, you need to avoid becoming injured in such a way that you would bleed. This probably sounds like a “well, duh,” piece of advice, but it’s worth noting. You don’t usually seek out injuries that will cause you to bleed, but while on blood thinners you need to double down on avoiding the sharp ends of things.

    In the evident that you do become injured or get cut, you need to apply pressure to injury right away. Apply constant pressure following the event until the bleeding subsides. This replicates your body’s normal processes to keep from bleeding. This is the simple one: more serious injuries are the ones that result in internal bleeding.

    If you incur a fall or something similar that could result in internal bleeding, keep your eyes open for unusually swelling and seek medial attention immediately in the case this occurs. If you don’t you might experience serious injury or worse.

    Non-Injury Side Effects

    There are other side effects related to anticoagulants that aren’t tied up in injuries. For instance, upset stomach, diarrhea and other gastrointestinal issues are occasionally reported while taking anticoagulants. Other effects include headaches and dizziness, fever and aches, and general flu-like effects.

    Due to these types of side effects, it’s widely recommended that those on this medication wear identification that explains they’re on anticoagulants. This is because, in the event of injury, doctors need to know that your blood won’t be clotting. If you go into surgery and the doctors don’t know that your blood isn’t going to clot then you’ll likely not survive the procedure.

    Hopefully this information is helpful to you. Remember, never take medication that you aren’t prescribed by your doctor, and only take the amount that you’re directed to by your doctor. If your doctor thinks anticoagulants are right for your condition, discuss potential side effects, foods to avoid and behaviors to engage in while on it.

  • Best News Apps to Manage your Prescription Schedule

    Best News Apps to Manage your Prescription Schedule

    No one loves having to keep up with a complicated schedule of taking prescriptions on time. After all, you’re a busy person with a lot going on. It’s hard to remember when to take what! However, your health relies on you taking your medicines on time. If you’re having a hard time keeping up with your medication, you can try some of these helpful apps that can manage your prescription schedule. It’s important that you take care of yourself by keeping up with your medicine! If you happen to save a bit of money with some of these apps while doing it, all the better!

    Best New Apps to Manage Your Prescription Schedule

    Medisafe

    The first app we’re looking at is called Medisafe. This is a handy app that’s available for both Android and Apple devices and it’s great. Not only does it help you track your prescriptions and when you’ll need a refill, you also get tracking for your doctor’s appointments. If you’re forgetful like us, these are fantastic features to have in a smart phone app. The app is easy to use, incredibly handy and imminently easy to personalize.

    Some great features include safety ones such as emergency contacts who can be notified if you miss a dose. This is a way to make sure you’re safe and could even safe your life! You can set up fun alert sounds, too. There are a number of characters and celebrities you can choose from for the voice to alert you that it’s time to take your medicine. Who ever said that prescription schedules couldn’t be fun? Well, everyone, but, that’s okay.

    PillPack

    If you’re anything like us, you probably hate having to go to the pharmacy. It’s boring, it’s slow, it takes forever and you’d really rather be somewhere else. Well, that’s where PillPack comes in. This app, available on Apple devices, is a fully-licensed pharmacy that you can access from your smartphone.

    Not only does PillPack ship your medicine right to your door, it also pre-separates it out for you into handy baggies. All of the medication you need to take on one day will be in its own bag. When you combine this with Medisafe you get the double benefit of both reminders and helpful medication sorting!

    The package you get from PillPack is totally personalized for you, as each pill has a photo next to it and a chart to tell you which is which. Any special instructions are printed out for you, and it’s very easy to tell which pill you should take when, and how. If you often forget which of your medications you need to take, and for what, PillPack is a great service for you.

    The best thing about PillPack is that it’s very easy to get your medicine refilled. If you set it up, the app can coordinate with your healthcare provider and insurance and make sure you get your medicine on time. You only pay your standard co-pay! While the app is currently only available on iOS, it’s also on the way to Android devices soon!

    GoodRX

    Everyone hates having to pay high prices for medicine, but not a lot of people know about the best ways to save. One of the best ways you can save money on your prescriptions is by going through GoodRX, an app that helps you find the very best prices from all stores in your area. If you’ve ever used GasBuddy, this is sort of the same idea, but for medicine instead of gas.

    When you search for a medication on GoodRX you’ll see the prices of medication at various retailers in your city. This allows you to compare and contrast at a glance and make sure you’re finding the absolute best prices in your area. Why spend more when you don’t have to?

    You can search for either single medication prices or for the pharmacy that gives you the best overall price on your prescriptions together. You can also set up reminders for when you need to refill to ping you through the app! There are even coupons on select medications available through the GoodRX app, which helps you to save even more money on your medications!

    Currently the GoodRX app is available on both Android and Apple devices. The best part is, the app is totally free. It’s hard to beat the low price of free for an app that could potentially save you a ton of money, in our book. Don’t hesitate to start saving with GoodRX today.

  • Great Jobs that Don’t Require a College Degree

    Great Jobs that Don’t Require a College Degree

    Just because you didn’t go to college doesn’t mean you can’t find a great job in an exciting career field. In fact, there are a number of great career opportunities that people without degrees can pursue. If your biggest concern is landing a great job that will pay you well and has room for growth, you’re not out of luck if you didn’t go to college. Here are some of the best jobs you can find that will hire with just a high school diploma.

    Great Jobs that Don’t Require a College Degree

    Web Developer

    Generally speaking, web developers don’t need to have college degrees to find work. If you’re good with computers and can design a great website, whether you went to school won’t really matter. Some web developers work for one company as a full-time employee, covering their web needs, creating and maintaining their website, handling their backend tech issues and more. This is a great job for tech-savvy people who might not have the money or desire to go to college.

    Other web developers work as independent contractors and handle web services and backend for numerous companies. These contractors are technically self-employed, which makes education less important than portfolio. Contractors can set their own hours and take work at their own pace. And as creating stylish websites is a highly sought-after skill, this is a very safe career path choice. The internet isn’t going anywhere any time soon.

    Hotel Manager

    Working for a hotel is a great way to make good money without needing a college degree. Hotels generally need all the help they can get, and management positions at these positions often don’t require you have a college degree. Even if you’re not immediately placed into management, hotels are full of great career paths that could be uniquely suited to your strengths.

    For instance, if you’re a people person you can easily find work at the front desk of a hotel. If you’re a night owl, you could get a night audit position. If you like driving, you could drive the shuttle to and from the hotel and various attractions in town. Then, if you perform well, hotels often promote from within. As such, positions within a hotel often lead to management positions over that department. Front desk, catering, housekeeping: there are tons of departments within hotels that require managers to oversee them.

    This is a great way to sort of slide into a solid career by just starting at the ground level. If you keep your head down, work hard and impress your managers, you could likely find yourself in a position to manage the entire hotel by the time you’ve been there for ten years. And those intervening ten years will have you making solid money in a good field while you climb the ladder.

    Executive Assistants

    Nearly every office building needs assistants. It might sound like a very unfun job, but hear us out. Assistants play a vital role in most offices. Between those who act as receptionists, helping visitors and managing calendars, to those who help coordinate executives’ activities, assistants are a huge support role. Additionally, work as an assistant is often full-time and has a lot of opportunities for career growth.

    A few things about getting hired on as an assistant make it a great back-door into a career you want. For one, you don’t often need a college degree to get hired on as an assistant. For another, you’re working directly with a major boss of the company, so any great work ethic or talent you show is observed directly by the person who has a say in promoting you. Further, once you’ve proven yourself a valuable asset to the company, you’ll likely find yourself promoted into a position you really want and deserve. That’s literally the definition of career growth!

    Retail Management

    If you can stand the absolute drudgery of retail floor work, retail management is a good career field to enter into. Often times you’ll have to start out on the ground level, especially if you’re coming in with no degree, but that’s life. Generally, retail work is rather unforgiving, if relatively boring. For the first bit on the ground level, you’ll likely spend more time just trying to keep customers happy than anything.

    However, those who work hard and show skills with people and coworkers will likely find themselves fast-tracked to management. Smart people, with or without college degrees, can expect to move up the ladder into management positions that come with benefits and solid pay.

  • Does Your Dog Have Heartworms?

    Does Your Dog Have Heartworms?

    Many dog owners fear the possibility that their dog could have heartworms. Heartworms are a dangerous parasite that can be transferred to dogs via mosquito bites. The worms enter the dog’s bloodstream through the mosquito’s bite as microscopic eggs that grow into large worms that live in the heart of the host dog. Dogs with large amounts of heartworms inside their bodies develop symptoms including weight loss, lethargy and persistent cough. Does your dog have heartworms? And, if it does, how are you going to treat them?

    How to Treat Heartworms: Conventional or Natural?

    Conventional

    Normal procedures used to kill heartworms are often dangerous for dogs. That’s because the active ingredients used in killing the worms can cause organ damage in dogs. This is on top of the damage already done to the dog’s organs by the worms themselves. Further, once the worms die, they usually flow into the dog’s lungs. This can cause even more complications, such as blood clots, blocked airways and even more organ damage.

    The main ingredient in the procedure that kill heartworms has an ingredient called immiticide which is injected over two or three doses, though many vets prefer the three-dose version. This is because the adult worms dying in large groups can cause more damage than them dying in smaller groups. The three-dose treatment occurs over three months.

    Dogs undergoing treatment need to be kept indoors and need to be kept from strenuous activity that could increase heart rate. The risk of an embolism is lessened if the dog is kept from getting an increased heart rate, though this is somewhat difficult for some dog owners.

    While undergoing treatment, dogs should be kept indoors for a month and any physical activity that will increase the heart rate must be strictly avoided. The reason for this is to minimize the above risk of circulatory embolism.

    Ivermectin is often used in dogs who have minor cases of heartworms. That’s because it’s able to kill baby heartworms while also weakening and sterilizing existing heartworms. This prevents new infections from forming and allows your dog to naturally outlive the heartworm infection they have.

    Natural Treatments

    Some dog owners swear by natural treatments for heartworms. One such natural treatment includes the herb black walnut used in conjunction with various homeopathic remedies. These types of remedies tend to be mixed together and given to a dog once or twice a month.

    Another such natural treatment is milk thistle seed and dandelion tea. These types of treatments are often recommended for people who are using conventional treatments for their dogs, too! While the natural treatments have mixed results, some dog owners have reported them as working very well.

    Keep in mind, if you’re thinking about giving your dog natural treatment for heartworms, that you need to keep your vet in the loop. Make sure you have your dog checked up monthly for heartworms and see how your natural treatment is progressing. If your natural treatments aren’t having any effect, don’t hesitate to ask your vet about more conventional treatments.

    Prevention

    It’s actually not hard to help your dog keep from ever getting heartworms in the first place. All you need to do is be aware of some easy ways to prevent them from being infected at all. There are preventative medicines, like Heartgard Plus, that dog owners can use to keep the worms from being able to take root in the dog’s heart. This medication is given orally and must be given to the dog throughout their lifespan.

    Remember: if the area you live in has mosquitos, your dog is at risk for heartworms. You need to take immediate steps to make sure that your dogs don’t have worms. If they do, you need to start treatment right away. If they don’t, you need to get them on a prevention medication right away. Sadly, this is a reality for dogs who live in areas like the American South or other areas where mosquitos are common.

    What Happens if You Don’t Treat Heartworms

    If you don’t treat heartworms, your dog will deteriorate in health over time. As the worms grow and multiply, it becomes harder and harder for them to pump blood to their organs. This results in lasting organ damage that will make them slower, more lethargic and less healthy. As the infection worsens, your dog will eventually pass away from organ failure. Don’t let your dog suffer this fate: begin taking steps today to keep them safe from heartworms. They depend on you to take care of them, so don’t let you down!

  • Combat Menstrual Pain without Medication

    Combat Menstrual Pain without Medication

    Menstrual pain can be downright awful for some people. Studies have found that more than ninety percent of women suffer from menstrual pain, and of them, around forty percent describe their menstrual pain as being detrimental to their daily activities.

    These pains can surface as cramps that make it hard to concentrate or stabbing lower back pain.

    Many women experiencing this pain opt to use medicine to try to combat it, though they often find over-the-counter medication isn’t very effective. There are some new technologies that will help you fight the pain without medication, though!

    Combat Menstrual Pain without Medication

    The Old Way

    When cramps and stabbing back pain start to set in, many women go for over-the-counter NSAIDs, though studies have shown these are little help for menstrual pain. That’s because many women create a chemical called prostaglandin during their periods. This chemical is what sends the signal to your body to cramp, and overproduction of it is what leads to the extreme cramps of menstrual pain. While NSAIDs slow prostaglandin production, they don’t stop it.

    What’s more, though NSAIDs have little effect on menstrual pain, they can cause worse problems than they solve. Use of over-the-counter pain meds can lead to stomach issues like diarrhea and constipation. If you’re experiencing these issues, it may not be your period causing them! Other problems with these over-the-counter medications could include the development of ulcers, and they could even increase your risk of kidney or heart failure.

    The New Way

    If suffering through with ineffective pain meds was the old way, what’s the new way? Thankfully, new breakthroughs in technology may be able to help ease menstrual pain. Nerve stimulation technology is a new breakthrough that has been showing promising results in clinical tests. Officially known as transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulations, or TENS, the process involves the use of electrical currents to send signals to your nerves that will, in turn, ease your menstrual pain.

    Using a TENS device is pretty straightforward. You attach a few electrodes to your body, wherever you’re feeling the worst pain. These electrodes then receive a very slight electrical signal from a machine. You don’t feel much of the electrical pulses, as they are so slight as to be very hard to notice. They do, however, prevent your nerve receptors from sending pain signals to your central nervous system.

    This means that TENS devices don’t stop your pain by addressing the symptoms. You’ll still be having your period, your body will still be cramping and producing large amounts of prostaglandin. However, you simply won’t feel the effects of these functions thanks to the signals from the TENS device.

    Results

    Researchers at many universities have found promising results with TENS therapy for use with women experiencing extreme menstrual pain. Many studies showed patients immediately reporting relief from their painful menstrual symptoms. TENS is an ideal procedure for addressing these problems, as it is both noninvasive and safe. It doesn’t require the patient to take any medication that could have harmful side effects and it doesn’t prevent the patient’s body from undergoing normal menstrual activity. All it does is block the pain signals being sent by the patient’s nerves.

    While there are a few adverse effects that could occur if a TENS unit is improperly used, proper use has, thus far, showed no danger for women experiencing menstrual pain. This is a great solution for some people who experience intense menstrual pain but don’t want to take medicines that might not even help them feel better.

    Types of Units

    There are many different varieties of TENS units available for home use. Research into specific units can be quite detailed, though there are a few basic varieties. For example, some of the earlier units, and some of the stronger units are home-only. These units tend to be larger and can’t be taken out of the home with you, as they are only for use indoors.

    Other examples include travel units that are smaller and can be packed up to travel with you. These types of TENS units tend to be less expensive, though they might not offer the same power as a home unit. They would be ideal for someone who travels often, such as on business trips or often goes on vacations. These can be easily slipped into a bag or purse!

    Finally, there are even wearable TENS units that can attach to your body under your clothes to give you relief throughout the day. These types of units are often even made with menstrual pain in mind!

  • Coolest Tech Takeaways from CES 2019

    Coolest Tech Takeaways from CES 2019

    2019 is only just getting started yet we already have a roadmap for what kinds of tech we’re going to be seeing this year. The biggest takeaways from CES 2019, held in Las Vegas this year, are that technology is still changing in new and exciting ways.

    If you’re curious about what kinds of tech trends are in store for the year, look no further. Today we’re going over some of the biggest show-stoppers and coolest tech seen at CES 2019. The future is closer than you think!

    Coolest Tech Seen at CES 2019

    5G Networks

    Often discussed and rarely seen, 5G devices are being hyped up like you wouldn’t believe. Verizon, Sprint and pretty much every other company at the show wouldn’t shut up about 5G. And that’s cool! It’s the future of network infrastructure and will likely change the landscape for internet connectivity. What’s weird is how much talk there was compared to how little actual 5G-enabled tech was seen at the show.

    There were a few glimmers of 5G devices here and there, but nothing to write home about. An old Moto phone with a snap-on 5G modem was the saddest and silliest of them, though the 5G home router was also quite humorous. The only proper 5G device seen was squirreled away in Samsung’s booth: a prototype Galaxy phone with 5G capabilities.

    While the 5G wave is being hyped like crazy, it’s still unclear how soon we could expect to see the tech go live. Some are saying we’ll be seeing the earliest roll-out to metropolitan areas in late 2019, though it may be late 2020 (or later) before we see the tech rolled out to the rest of the country.

    8K TV Screens

    If you’re anything like us, you probably haven’t even caught up to the 4K standard yet. It feels like just recently that 4K was the top-of-the-line for TV panels, but now all the buzz is around 8K displays. And these 8K displays are absolutely, ridiculously, absurdly big. For instance, Sony and Samsung will be hitting the market with 98-inch 8K TVs this year. Who has a living room big enough for a 98-inch TV? We wish we did…

    LG will be hitting the market with a massive 88-inch 8K TV with OLED tech inside, as well. If you’re thinking these will be expensive, you’re right! The cheapest one seen at the show was a 65-inch 8K from Samsung that starts with the low, low price of $5,000. You know, chump change. Especially considering that these screens, while impressive-sounding, don’t yet have any content to support them. Remember when 4K first came out and there was nothing you could run at 4K on your awesome new 4K screen? Yeah, 8K will be like that again.

    Apple’s Playing Nice

    Speaking of TV, Apple surprised a lot of people by changing their stance on TV makers. At CES, the Cupertino-based tech giant confirmed that AirPlay 2 will be compatible with Vizio, LG, Sony, and Samsung displays. While Samsung’s TVs will be the only ones allowed to display iTunes on-screen, the others will all have access to AirPlay through the Apple interface.

    AirPlay, for the uninitiated, is a way to send media from an iPhone, Mac or iPad to a big screen for viewing or listening. The technology is not dissimilar from Chromecast, allowing you to show guests and parties media that you don’t want them to have to huddle around a phone or iPad to see.

    Robots

    Robots are a sci-fi staple. Nearly every sci-fi future has robots everywhere, yet our real world is disappointingly robot-free. Well, if CES 2019 is any indication, that won’t be continuing for much longer. There were robots everywhere at the show, from sports-playing bots to air-purifying bots. Samsung showed off flexible bots that could be retail sales robots, health monitors or many other tasks. Groove X also introduced a companion robot, an adorable little guy called Lovot.

    While some might worry about the morals or ethics of these robot companions, it’s clear that they’re the next step for human technology. Many people are lonely or just want someone to hang out with, and robots are a great alternative to being alone. They can help people feel more relaxed and happy, they can do menial tasks for humans and they can even help make our lives better.

    In short, this CES was one of the most exciting seen in years. Huge leaps and bound in technology have us excited to see where technology goes as the years go on!

  • New to Dating Apps? Here Are Some Tips to get You Started

    New to Dating Apps? Here Are Some Tips to get You Started

    Online dating has been around for a few years now, but that doesn’t mean that everyone is a master at it. There are a lot of moving parts when it comes to this stuff! Learning how to make the most of your profile and maximize your matches is hard. If you’re looking for some tips for getting matches on dating apps, look no further. Today we’re going to walk you through some of the best tips for getting started meeting new people through dating apps.

    Tips for Getting Started with Dating Apps

    The Basics

    When it comes to dating apps, the most important thing to remember is that you need to be honest with people online. Don’t lie about your age or post a picture of yourself from a decade ago. You need to make sure you’re giving an honest look at who you are in your profile. Maybe you’re afraid that people won’t be attracted to you, but don’t start your relationships off on a lie. Nothing is a bigger red flag when meeting someone in person than their profile picture not matching what they look like in real life.

    Take a Good Profile Picture

    That said, your profile picture is also very important. It’s the first thing people see when they click on your profile, and first impressions are important. Make sure your profile picture has good lighting, you’re clean and look happy in it, and it’s taken from a good angle.

    Here are a few tips: try taking a profile picture in natural light and holding the camera at a higher angle. High angles make you look more approachable, thinner and more optimistic. Low angles, by contrast, can make you look arrogant, heavier or even less positive. Try to avoid them!

    There’s nothing wrong with your profile picture being tailored to show the best version of you. Just make sure it’s not overly-doctored to the point of being inaccurate. Authenticity is very important!

    Show What You’re About

    Don’t skip that bio section! People are going to want to know what kinds of things you’re into. Are you a huge gaming nerd who spends a lot of time playing retro video games? Awesome, put that in your bio! Do you love hiking, skydiving and going to the beach? Cool! Add that to your bio. Are you a bookworm who loves getting lost in a good tale? You can guess where you should be recording that info.

    If people are attracted to your initial profile picture, they’re going to want to lean more. Keep it short and sweet, and don’t go on forever. Put a list of your interests and a brief summary of what you’re about. Maybe mention what you do for a living and what kind of partner you’re looking for. If you’re looking for something serious and long-term, say that. If you want more casual relationships, be up front about that in your bio. Again, honesty goes a long way towards saving you headaches down the road.

    Keep Using the App (or Apps)

    No matter what dating app you’re using, don’t be ashamed to use it daily. Check for your matches, browse profiles, and just generally give it some screen time. It might feel weird to be this compulsive about an app (and trust us, we hate smartphone addiction as much as you do) but in this case there’s a reason for it.

    Your dating apps are using algorithms to prioritize your profile. If you don’t log in very often then it’s likely your profile isn’t near the top of most people’s lists. It’s harder to get matches when you’re not showing up for anyone! Remedy this by logging in and using the app regularly so the algorithm sorts you higher in the profile order. This allows you to stay relevant and have your profile grace more people’s screens.

    Mix it Up

    Don’t be afraid to mix it up and use more than one app. Maybe you first installed Tinder but you’re not having a lot of luck with it. Consider installing a few other dating apps, too! There’s nothing wrong with using two or three apps at once. By doing so you’ll not only increase your chances of meeting someone you’ll connect with, you also diversify who you’re seeing. And who’s seeing you, too!

    Don’t worry if you’re not seeing immediate results. There are millions of people out there. All you need to do is relax, take it easy and keep your confidence high. You’re awesome, and you’re going to meet someone great.