Kraus, Karl

Tema: Ciúme
O ciúme é um latido que atrai os ladrões

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Pavese, Cesare

Quando se sofre, julga-se que para lá do círculo existe a felicidade; quando NÃO se sofre, sabe-se que a felicidade não existe e sofre-se, então, por não sofrer

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Hesse, Hermann

Só há felicidade se não exigirmos nada do amanhã e aceitarmos do hoje, com gratidão, o que nos trouxer. A hora mágica chega sempre

@notiun

Pascal, Blaise

Jamais vivemos, mas esperamos viver; e, dispondo-nos sempre a ser felizes, é inevitável que jamais o sejamos

@notiun

Martins, José Luís Nunes

Tema: Amor
Amar é aproximar. Fazer próximo quem está mais longe. Dar mais espaço a quem esteja demasiado perto.

via @notiun

Braque, Georges

Tema: Artista
Não se pode pedir ao artista mais do que ele pode dar, nem ao crítico mais do que ele pode ver

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Pessoa, Joaquim

Tema: Vida
A vida corre atrás de nós para nos roubar aquilo que em cada dia temos menos.

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Gandhi, Mohandas

O amor nunca faz reclamações; dá sempre. O amor tolera; jamais se irrita e nunca exerce vingança

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Reis, Ricardo

Não sei se é amor que tens, ou amor que finges,/ O que me dás. Dás-mo. Tanto me basta.

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Neto, Joel

No que se transformaria um homem obrigado a viver sem a mulher que ama? – perguntou-se, e achou que nenhuma outra pergunta resumia tão bem tudo o que tinha aprendido sobre si mesmo e sobre a espécie.

via @notiun

Maquiavel, Nicolau

Os homens hesitam menos em ofender quem se faz amar do que em ofender quem se faz temer; porque o amor é mantido por um vínculo de obrigação que, por serem os homens pérfidos, é rompido por qualquer ocasião em benefício próprio; mas o temor é mantido por um medo de punição que não abandona jamais

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8 Sweet And Intimate Ways To Show Your Love

Just because spring is over doesn’t mean love isn’t still in the air. But just because you say you love someone repeatedly doesn’t make it so. True love is shown through your actions. Of course, words can be a part of it, but if you don’t put in any extra effort, those words are simply air flying through the breeze.

My wife and I have been together for almost a year, and we still always kiss goodnight, say I love you before leaving the house, and text each other randomly throughout the day just to say we miss each other. Sure, if I wasn’t in love, I might find what I just said way too mushy. But I care way too much for my wife to let what other people might think get in the way of me showing her how much I love her.

If you truly love someone, show them you do by:

1. Touching more

Holding hands isn’t just for those who have recently fallen in love. You should always want to grab your mate’s hand as you walk down the street, or to the mall, or just while you’re sitting on the couch watching TV. Small public displays of affection that are simple and quick show your partner you care. While I’m not advocating for full-on make-out sessions at the grocery store, there’s nothing wrong with hugs or pecks here and there to remind your love just how much they mean to you.

2. Being silly

What’s the point of having your best friend around all the time if you can’t act ridiculous around them? Get into water gun fights or tickle wars, no matter how old you are. Poke fun at each other (in good taste, of course), and don’t get upset when it comes back on you. Plan elaborate pranks that will keep you both on your toes. Use your relationship as a gateway to reminding each other how much fun it was to be a carefree like when you were first in love.

3. Giving gifts and planning surprises

Don’t wait for anniversaries or holidays to give gifts. The best presents are the ones given off-the-cuff, like when you were out at the store and saw something you just knew you had to buy for your love. Surprise movie or dinner dates on a Thursday can liven up a relationship more than you realize. Always go that extra mile to show you were thinking of your significant other.

4. Sending love notes

I mentioned my wife and I text each other to say “I miss you” at random, but it doesn’t hurt to go the extra mile and leave handwritten notes hidden around the house. Or you could go even further and mail out a letter that’s simply to be returned to your home expressing your happiness and love. When you put your words down into writing, you’ll realize just how much you really do care about them.

5. Listening to them

You’ve had a long day, and you just want some peace and quiet. Then the phone rings, and you have to hear about the absolutely atrocious day your significant other had. Don’t blow them off with stock responses like “Yea, that’s awful” or “You gotta be kidding me?” Actually listen to what they’re saying. Help them find a solution to their problems. Truly connect with them, even on their worst days. They’ll appreciate your sincerity, and will be there when you need to vent.

6. Giving thanks and praise

I just started experimenting a bit more with my cooking. While I don’t really care much how my food tastes, and would be happy eating whatever is in the pantry, I thrive off of knowing my wife enjoyed a meal I prepared. At the same time, I work hard to prepare these meals so she can come home and relax. We never take each other for granted, and always give sincere thanks to each other when something is done for us.

7. Take time to enjoy each other

We live in a busy world. It’s important that you take the time to appreciate your significant other. Spend quiet time together to reflect on your memories and plan for your future together. You don’t want to get caught in a rut because life has gotten in the way. Set other obligations aside every day to spend time with the one you love, even if it’s a few fleeting moments of bliss.

8. Continue to grow together

You’re both individuals with independent goals, but you’ve come together because you want someone to share your accomplishments with. As you grow as an individual, be sure to grow with your significant other as well. Don’t wait for something magical to come along that will tell you when to make the next step; be the catalyst, yourself. You may have your own goals in life, but when you’re with someone, you should always work toward a common end together.

Featured photo credit: Flickr via farm4.staticflickr.com

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12 Amazing Egg Cooking Secrets That Will Brighten Your Mornings

After a lot of debating, it looks like the nutrition experts have finally decided that eggs won’t explode your heart if you eat them in moderation – a fact that three generations of men in my family have been happily proving for years now. Now, you can’t go all Gaston from “Beauty and the Beast” and eat five dozen eggs a day, but breaking a few eggs and preparing a tasty meal won’t do you much harm. So, as long as you are a healthy individual with no serious medical issues, have a relatively balanced and diverse diet and eat eggs in moderation you’ll be perfectly fine.

In fact, eggs are an excellent source of protein and have always been a staple of every athlete’s diet, though fitness enthusiasts who are trying to cut some body fat recommend using just one or two whole eggs mixed with 2-3 egg whites. With that in mind, let’s look at some interesting egg cooking secrets that all you egg lovers out there can use to create tasty meals without any hassle.

Breaking the eggs

1. Test the freshness of the eggs with a bowl of water

Knowing just how fresh your eggs are is important for a number of reasons – so you don’t risk eating spoiled eggs, so that you can remove the shell on boiled eggs more easily etc. A simple test involves putting an egg into a bowl of water – if it sinks and is turned sideways it’s fresh; if it sinks but is vertical or near vertical; and if it floats you should throw it out.

2. Slap the egg once on a flat and rigid surface to avoid hunting for bits of the shell

The classic two-handed break is the easiest to achieve, and it ensures that no stray shell fragments get into your food, but many people don’t realize what actually makes it work. You need to hold the egg so that the pointy end is facing your fingers and the round end rests on the palm, then hit the very middle of the egg on a flat hard surface. A single firm slap is enough, and you can proceed to pry the two ends apart using both hands.   

3. Crack an egg using only one hand

The ultimate egg-cracking technique that makes you look like an experienced chef is the old one-handed clean break. You essentially need to hit the middle of the egg on a sharp edge, e.g. of a bowl, and use a unique finger motion to let the egg whites and yolk spill out elegantly. The video above should help you get the technique down.

Separating the egg whites from the yolk

4. Suck up the yolk using a plastic bottle

If you’ve got a plastic bottle lying around the house, which most of us do at any given time, you can use it to separate the yolk from the whites. Break an egg into a bowl, then squeeze the bottle to let a bit of air out, put the mouth of the bottle against the yolk, and then simply loosen your grip to allow air to go back into the bottle, along with the yolk.

5. Funnel out the egg whites in mere seconds

If you don’t have a bottle handy, you can always use a funnel to separate the yolk. You just carefully break the egg over the funnel, at which point the yolk will get stuck and the egg whites will seep out through the small hole. You can lightly shake it around to get all of the egg whites out, and just throw the yolk out.

6. Crack the egg into your hand and let the egg whites sip through your fingers

In those extreme cases, when you have to eat something right now, but you don’t have any tools at hand, you can just use your hands. Of course, you should wash your hands first, preferably using a neutral non-perfumed soap. Then you can crack the egg using the one hand technique shown in a previous paragraph and let the yolk rest on the palm of your other hand. Just let the whites seep through the fingers and keep the yolk balanced in the palm.

Peeling the shell on boiled eggs

7. Pierce the top of the egg to make it easier to peel

You can take the point of a sharp kitchen knife or a needle to puncture a small hole in the fattest part of the egg, before putting it in boiling water. After you’ve boiled it for several minutes – depending on what consistency you were going for – extract the egg and put it in a bowl of ice water for a hassle free peeling process.

8. Shake the boiled eggs in a pot with some water

For those that fear that they would make a mess if they tried to pierce an egg, you can just wait until the egg is boiled, then put it in a pan with just enough water to make the egg float, close the lid and shake it around so that it cracks against the walls of the bowl. It will be fairly easy to peel the shell afterwards.

9. Cut the egg in half with a sharp knife

Of, course there is always the way of the barbarian – quick, simple and brutal. Take a sharp knife and just cut the boiled egg in half. The shell will come of much easier, or you can simply scoop it out with a spoon.

Preparing a nice and quick meal

10. Create an egg mold out of bacon

It can be a bit tricky to make a perfect sunny side up egg, but if you use a nice long slice of bacon to create a round mold, you’ll get a nice round shape, and you’ll have bacon and eggs ready in no time.

11. Boil scrambled eggs

If you want to get best of both worlds, you can actually boil an egg that is entirely yellow. Just take an old shirt and put the egg in a sleeve, tying it off at both sides. You then grab the ends of the sleeve and spin the egg for awhile, before pulling it out and boiling it. It will be completely yellow when it is peeled. Watch the video above for a step by step.

12. Throw in a bit of baking soda for fluffier omelets

Omelets are a quick and easy to make meal, but there is a bit of finesse involved, especially if you want to make an exceptional omelet. An easy way to make your omelets nice and fluffy is to add a pinch of baking soda into the mix. Baking powder reportedly works just as well.

You’ll need find the right amount of baking soda through a bit of experimentation, as going overboard will make the eggs taste funny, and putting in too little won’t really fluff up the omelet. The amount of baking soda will also depend on the number of eggs that you are preparing.

There you have it folks, all the egg related hacks that you’ll ever need. Remember, eggs are perfectly fine when consumed in moderation, a few of them a day. The fact that they are actually highly nutritious and incredibly simple to prepare, particularly with the above hacks, makes them a great addition to your diet.

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Strategies To Outsmart The Claw Machine

Their innocuous presentation of radiant light grabs our attention and their saturated colors allure us before we even realize our ears have become accustomed to their addictive tune, persuading us to befriend the claw machines.

They are at the mall, food courts, restaurants, theaters and theme parks, pretty much everywhere. Claw machines will always be in existence as long as you are satisfied, but the truth of the matter is they are more after your money than you’re after those cute plush toys that are worth unscrupulously less than your pocket change.

Their connivance has been revealed with shocking exposés by reporters, aficionados, fanatics and even by an owner of these notorious claw machines — can you believe some of those electronic boxes were stuffed with bricks! Claw machines made their public debut during the great depression to mollify the somber mood, but soon these claw machines were deemed illegal as gambling devices in 1951 until the law relaxed with the Federal gambling regulations in 1974.

But amusingly humans appear prone to accepting the fraudulent system of these rigged machines where prizes are anticipated on luck with few little skills. To a rigged machine your luck and skills are irrelevant, but thankfully some states have regulated the system of the claw and some owners have refused to concert with the electrical malpractice. Although there are stratagems with the claw machines, nothing is guaranteed, but who is to prevent someone from clawing? Therefore here are some helpful tips when clawing your way into the prize pit before clawing into your wallet.

1. Price – Profit – Practicality

Most of the times the prizes look absolutely stunning, neatly arranged and positioned, and depending on the type of prize, it really is impossible not to acknowledge. However the first thing before being drawn into the prize is to estimate the price behind the targeted prize. An example: many of the claw machine owners order the plush toys, headsets, electronics and jewelries in bulk. This of course is blatantly obvious and for business minded individuals, ordering in bulk is relatively cheaper than buying individually.

This website that distributes plush toys shows most are less than 2 dollars each (the generic kinds). One owner revealed his prizes are worth .25 cents to .50 cents each. Additionally the machine can range up to $1K to $5K, and to cover the cost of maintenance and make profit it would require your dedicated, mindless cooperation to pop in those quarters. The bigger the value of the prizes, the more attempts the owners prefer from the hapless customers.

This leads to being practical. Next time you see an iPad, think twice before you even reach for your change. If you were the owner, would you make it practical for someone else to win?

Quick note, some plush toys are licensed, meaning those are the non-generic kinds with commercial brands. The licensed plush toys are more costly therefore beware, they may be packed tightly or even at times they are prevented from even being lifted by dishonest owners.

2. Figure Out The Machine

This is bit tricky, but not impossible. This is the most important information you should know before using up your allowance. There are two different types of claw machines that are rife in our world. The “Fixed Strength” machine and the “Payout” machine.

A fixed strength claw machine is adjusted to a constant strength. This is the preferred machine only if the strength of the claw is set to an appropriate level. If set at a low power, then move on, it is pointless to even try, but savor the visual delight of the prizes.

Other than observing the strength of the claw, some machines have what is known as a prize detector and these are the payout machines. Payout machines are engineered to strengthen the claw a certain time. This “time” consists of multiple factors: amount of dollar or coins inserted, if a prize has been awarded through sensors or just plainly from the amount of attempts. Some states have regulated the payout machines, for example California is 1/12 tries, meaning one out of every twelve attempts the claw increases its strength, but that doesn’t mean you are guaranteed to win. You only have a chance to win.

But even if you have calculated the payout equation, some machines are randomly engineered to strengthen or weaken the claw regardless of any factor. Also some claw machines are now able to be operated through smartphones by the owners.

3. In The World of Claw Machines, Be last In Line

It’s always in your favor to watch other players. Pick a straw dog and display your sincere gratitude to offer your position. Watch the claw, the speed, the rotation of the claw as it goes down, the grip of the claw and any apparent weak grip or the intentional drop of the prize up in mid air. Importantly, observe any payouts or the fixed strength. You raise the probability of winning or saving your hard earned quarters by watching others making the dive to the pit.

4. It Takes Time To Set Up A Prize

Never assume the first try is your lucky break and don’t rush. Many people use the claw to just align and grab whatever is accessible, but you can also use the claw to set up the prize that are packed tightly. Theoretically, the more you attempt the more likely you will be given a chance, so take the time to set up the prize. Use the claw to move other prizes or loosen up some tightly arranged prizes.

Skilled “clawers” stack toys on top of each other that are close to the prize hatch and instead of winning a prize the conventional way, they intentionally knock over the prizes into the hatch.

5. Walk Away When Appropriate

Experienced clawers know some machines are not worth attempting if it’s ridiculously rigged. After all you are paying to have fun with a reward and if all odds are against you, it’s best to not feed the machine that has an owner that indulges on cheating young kids and customers.

Bonus:

Speaking of claw machines, check out this human claw machine in a shopping mall in China. It may sound bizarre, yet it seems like you have a better chance to win a prize.

Featured photo credit: Ken Teegardin via flickr.com

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24 Important Tips On How To Exert Influence Over Others

Building influence is a challenging and worthwhile goal. More influence means that you can obtain followers, win promotions at work, have more friends, and have more opportunities in general. A recently published infographic based on Robert Greene’s book The 48 Laws of Power gives us further insight on building influence.

1. Win with your actions, not arguments

We have all heard the expression “actions speaker louder than words.” However, this tip points out that a focus on action leads us to wins faster than focusing on speaking or writing. For example, if you are often mocked for being late to meetings, commit to arrive five minutes early for the next 10 meetings you attend, rather than giving excuses for your lateness.

2. Keep your hands clean of nasty deeds

Breaking the rules has a way of coming back to you. In our daily work, it is easy to take shortcuts to achieve results faster — for example, rushing through paper work to complete a sale. Instead, take the time to win the honest way.

3. Never let yourself get lost in the crowd

Personal branding and elevator pitches are all about making yourself memorable. These methods are widely taught because they make a huge difference when it comes to being remembered. There are two ways to become more memorable: build up expertise in a valuable skill and take a deep interest in other people.

4. Never outshine the master

When you are excellent at what you do, it is natural to seek admiration and advancement. However, there is a time and place for that activity. In the workplace, your boss has great influence over your prospects. Keep that in mind when you reference your accomplishments.

5. Always say less than necessary

In our always-on Internet culture, we have been conditioned to speak and share all the time. Constantly speaking raises two threats. First, you will have less energy to observe and listen to other people. Second, you are likely to run out of good ideas and start mentioning low-value concepts.

In your next work meeting, focus on making a few valuable contributions, rather than out-talking everyone else.

6. Work as a spy

What is the greatest contribution that spies make? They collect valuable information and listen carefully. When you are around senior management or other influential people, be sure to observe them. How do they speak about the organization? What problems are they working to solve? Paying close attention to these points allows you to better communicate with them.

7. Learn to withdraw

From time to time, it is wise to withdraw. In Greene’s research, the purpose of withdrawing is to help people to recognize your value. Even if you are highly dedicated to success, taking a break from the arena is important. It gives you a chance to rest and seek new ideas. Even more important, many successful people — including Winston Churchill and Steve Jobs — have withdrawn for a time to overcome defeats.

Tip: How To Find Time For Yourself

8. Give people options that work in your favor

This recommendation takes thought and wisdom to apply. First, you have to be creative enough to develop several options. Many people make the mistake of simply presenting one option, take it or leave it. Secondly, you must look for a way that you can make a contribution in each project and focus on that.

9. Transform weakness into power

Think about your weaknesses in new ways. Instead of ignoring a weakness, take the time to get to know yourself better. For example, if you struggle with staying organized, learn the Weekly Review. Self knowledge is important to acquire. Otherwise, you risk falling victim to a blindspot and making the same mistake over and over again.

10. Act like a king to be treated like one

How confident are you in your daily work? A robust sense of self confidence helps you to make an impression and move ahead. Improving your confidence starts with your language. Remove qualifiers from your speech. Make more statements and ask fewer questions. These tips will get you started on the path to being treated like a king.

11. Always be bold

For this insight, Greene reminds us of the rewards for taking risks. In romance, this could mean asking for dates even if you feel nervous. In the business world, being told means asking for the sale with a potential customer. Sales expert and trainer Zig Ziglar commented, “Timid salesmen have skinny kids.” The determination to do something challenging and uncomfortable will land you in the spotlight.

12. Master the art of good timing

Timing is a powerful skill that is well worth developing. With poor timing, your ideas and needs will be ignored, mocked, or worse. Good timing in business means knowing when to challenge your boss (and when to stay quiet). Not every battle is worth the challenge. If you struggle with timing, here is one way to get started: pause for 10 seconds before speaking when a thought occurs to you. That pause will give you a moment to decide if this is the right time and place to share.

13. Make sure not to offend the wrong person

Offending someone causes many problems for your career and the rest of your life. If you have caused a major offence, you may not be able to get that person’s attention again. If you are feeling angry, pause before you send an email or make a phone call. There’s nothing wrong with having strong feelings, but it does matter how you act on them.

14. Don’t fully commit to any side

In the investment world, we understand the value of diversification — holding numerous investments to manage risk. This principle also applies in a career context. While you may love working for your current company, realize that layoffs and other events can happen suddenly. Even worse, an unethical or abusive person may be promoted to management. In these cases, your best option is to leave the organization — commit to having several options.

15. Avoid the unhappy and the unlucky

The company you keep makes a big difference in your life. That’s why people spend money and time to attend conferences and join associations. The first step in putting this tip into action is to reduce the amount of time you spend with negative people. When you spend more time around happy and lucky people, you will be encouraged and learn about interesting opportunities.

16. Pay attention and work on the hearts and minds of others

Most of us have heard about the value of emotional intelligence. It’s a vital principle. While reason and logic play a role in influence, this tip reminds us that most decision-making is emotional. That means you have to learn how to listen and make an effort to build relationships. If you are seeking a promotion, take the time to learn about the managers who make promotion decisions. They may emphasize different results and values than you think (for example, the ability to develop staff and achieve results).

17. Make other people come to you

Becoming a “go-to person” is a great way to develop your influence. You may become known as the person who is able to influence upset customers. That’s a valuable skill in sales, customer service, and many other jobs. By building a reputation for great results, you will make people come to you for help.

18. Follow your own path and don’t get lost in someone else’s shadow

In the long term, it is more exciting to work on your own goals. In the short term, there is nothing wrong with studying with a master — that’s a key concept from Greene’s book Mastery. After a few months or a year, reassess the situation and decide whether it’s time to move on to a new job.

19. Plan ahead so you’re not overwhelmed by potential consequences

Planning is the quiet method that many successful people use to get ahead. Building the Weekly Review habit is an excellent way to prevent painful surprises — no more failing to prepare for important meetings with customers or your boss. In addition, you can use planning to reduce risk. This can mean purchasing insurance to cope with the risk of theft or loss in your business.

20. Never appear to be too perfect

Striving for great results is well worth the effort. In contrast, there’s not much point in going for perfect for two reasons. First, you will avoid taking chances and miss out on opportunities to grow if you focus solely on perfection. Second, your coworkers and friends will find it difficult to relate to you if you always come across as perfect.

To go deeper on this tip, watch “The power of vulnerability,” an outstanding TED talk by Brené Brown.

21. Always pay the full price instead of cutting corners

Success often involves long hours of grinding work. There’s just no way around it in some cases. The very best musicians often play scales and other exercises each and every day. In the workplace, making a single sale is good, yet it is only the start. You will start to achieve influence after you make dozens of sales per month and find yourself winning awards.

22. Make sure your accomplishments seem effortless

Are you still talking about how busy you are each day? Few people are impressed by effort alone. Instead, apply yourself to your work and avoid seeking constant validation from others on social media. Just think about Olympic-level athletes — we’re interested in seeing their top skills in action, not hundreds of practice sessions.

23. Create compelling spectacles

Delivering the goods at work matters, but it is not enough to win influence, fame, and money. Sometimes, there’s a need for spectacles. For example, when you have your annual salary review with your boss, prepare an impressive document for the meeting. Your presentation may include letters or emails from important customers and well-designed charts demonstrating your results.

24. Incorporate dramatic devices into your public actions

Public-speaking skills allow you to share your message and stand apart from everyone else at work. When you give a presentation, make use of dramatic devices such as repeating your points (a classic tip from Winston Churchill), using visual aids (this is how Steve Jobs presented new Apple products), and using humor. Learning these skills takes practice. You can get started this week by joining ToastMasters.

Featured photo credit: Robert Greene/Robert Greene via 48lawsofpower.powerseductionandwar.com

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10 Free Online Resources to Help Upgrade Your Career

We live in an amazing time. Within a few mouse clicks or screen taps, we can get the answer to almost any question we could possibly come up with. At any given time, we can reach into our pockets, pull out our phones, and start ourselves out on a quest for knowledge that could end up changing our lives. And, most amazingly, a staggering amount of this information is available completely free of charge. If you’ve been feeling stagnant in your job and want to start advancing your career, you can open up your web browser and head to the following pages:

1. Glassdoor

Glassdoor is a website that informs potential employees about the company they’re applying to work for. The information for each company on the site has been documented by previous and current employees, so users know they are getting first-hand data from reputable sources. Glassdoor gives information regarding positions offered by the company, starting and average salary rates, and anecdotal information regarding interviews and the quality of past employee experiences. Use Glassdoor when conducting a job hunt to be sure you’re applying for a job that’s right for you.

2. Khan Academy

Khan Academy offers lectures on a variety of subjects, at a variety of difficulty levels, as well as practice questions, exercises, and exams for users to test their knowledge and comprehension of each topic. These tests are individualized, meaning the barrage of questions asked is tailored to a user’s specific understanding of content. Using Khan Academy, you can learn anything from basic arithmetic to advanced calculus, the fundamentals of computer science, to advanced programming.

3. Coursera and edX

Both Coursera and edX are well-known databases for MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses). On each of these sites, students can find actual college-level courses on almost any subject imaginable. MOOCs have taken the Internet by storm due to their accessibility and flexibility. MOOCs usually consist of a combination of video lectures, reading materials, and assignments. However, you can engage in the MOOC as much, or as little, as you like. MOOCs often create learning communities consisting of thousands of students all over the world, so taking full advantage of forums will allow for maximum exposure to a variety of viewpoints, and will expand your thoughts and ideas much more than sitting in a lecture hall throughout a semester could ever hope to do.

4. Codecademy

If you’ve ever wanted to learn how to program, but are intimidated by the prospect of learning a seemingly alien language, you’re not alone. But Codecademy is an incredibly helpful resource that will help you learn programming languages such as JavaScript, and Python. The interactive lessons are scaffolded so you will learn the basics first, then use those fundamental skills to complete projects and activities. By the end of your first session, you’ll have learned enough to create a basic website, and be able to build upon your learning from there.

5. Learnvest

While not everything that Learnvest has to offer is free, the site offers a variety of articles and blog posts which have been curated from all corners of the Internet. Learnvest offers information regarding all aspects of life, from college and career readiness to lifestyle decisions such as weddings, home improvement, and travel. One of the most intriguing sections relates to the ‘Psyche of Money”, which analyzes societal views on money, expenses, and savings.

6. Investopedia

I’ll be honest: I’m pretty clueless about money. After I finish writing this, I’m going to spend some time on Investopedia, so I can finally wrap my head around this whole Greece situation and increase my understanding of retirement savings. If you’ve wanted to dive into the world of stocks, bonds, and all things money-related, Investopedia offers money management tips, a stock simulator, and tutorials and exam tips for financial analyst certifications.

7. Y Combinator Startup Library

If you’ve ever thought of starting a business, check out the Startup Library. Y Combinator offers long-form articles full of tips on how to start and build a business, and what to do once you get the ball rolling. The Library also offers links to tools to help grow your business, and other organizations that will help develop your entrepreneurial knowledge. Y Combinator has funded over 800 startup companies in the past 10 years, so the advice given in these blog posts can be taken seriously. Thankfully, it’s free!

8. Duolingo

At a time in which we can communicate with almost any person in the entire world online, many people naturally yearn to gain the ability to understand and speak a variety of languages. Duolingo allows users to take full courses which focus on over 20 languages, including Spanish, French, Polish…and Klingon. Members of Duolingo also are privy to a community of learners who can collaborate with each other on various projects and lessons in order to enhance their learning. Most beneficial, however, is Duolingo’s immersion section, which provides real-world tasks in the language being studied, with no assistance. The best way to learn a new language is to dive right in!

9. Bartleby

Bartleby offers full versions of well-known books and works of literature from various points in history. From Voltaire, to Scott Fitzgerald, to Chaucer, Bartleby offers something for everyone looking to get a taste of culture into their life. Also available are historical non-fiction texts and reference books which offer first-hand insights into different eras of human history. It’s incredible how much Bartleby has to offer, considering the site is named after a famous character who preferred to do nothing.

10. Project Gutenberg

Project Gutenberg is similar to Bartleby, but implements a wiki formula while offering ebooks and texts. Gutenberg’s focus is on classic literature. Over 49,000 classic works, to be more precise. With Project Gutenberg, you can check out Kafka, Cervantes, and Whitman all in one spot. And you can download each in HTML format, or as an ebook that can be read using a Kindle or the Kindle app on your smartphone. The bad news is that if you’re a high school student, now your English teacher has a backup plan for the times when you “left your book at home.”

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10 Quality Online Courses To Make You Successful Entrepreneurs

As technology continues to evolve at a fast pace, it becomes clear that it affects the way things get done.  As an Entrepreneur, it is important to stay ahead of the curve, taking the opportunity to prepare yourself in order to provide quality results.  This usually means making the time to continue your education.  Enrolling in online classes is a great way to improve your skills and to gain new skills, because you can set your own hours in order to fit a learning opportunity in with your busy schedule.  The opportunities are invaluable for Entrepreneurs whether you are starting out or have years of experience under your belt.

You now have the opportunity to learn and to grow your business from the privacy of your home, with affordable courses.  Not every course is long and strenuous; from coaching programs, to mini courses and engaging video courses, there is something for every Entrepreneur.

Below is a list of 10 Quality Online Courses to Make Help You to Succeed as an Entrepreneur.

1. Redefining Branding: A Beginner’s Guide to Understanding & Mastering Branding by Analyzing The Best

This unique course, specifically structured for Female Entrepreneurs, approaches branding by analyzing the best in order to help you gain insight into your own challenges, and mistakes.

The 6 week program will be an opportunity for you to truly understand what it takes to build a successful, powerhouse brand, by exploring the most powerful brand.  You will have the opportunity to dissect your own brand strategy as you compare it to one that works in order to understand why you may be failing.

A fun opportunity to connect with other Entrepreneurs through our secret Facebook Group, in staying true to the Chic Mompreneur Vision our hope is that this will not only be a learning opportunity, but an opportunity to create invaluable connections with like minded women.

This 6 week course begins September 1st, Enroll today, to secure a place today!

2. Savvy Branding: How to Build an Irresistible Brand

This awesome mini course is taught by Amazon Best Selling Author and the founder of Red Slice, Maria Ross. It answers the questions so many Entrepreneurs have about branding. The course, if provided through Learn Savvy, is a one stop shop for women to gain the business, technical and life skills they need. This premier educational marketplace allows women to not only teach, but to learn together. The Savvy Branding course will allow you to create an irresistible brand for your business.  Helping you to understand why branding is more than just a logo and how to create the essence, value and promise that needs to be communicated to your audience.  A step by step process for building a rock-solid online and offline brand strategy. Take a class, Give a Class, Means that for every course you purchase, Learn Savvy will donate a class to a woman who would not be able to afford to take a class. Get started on Learn Savvy.

3.  Characteristics of The Successful Entrepreneur

Jeff Hawkins is the co-founder of Palm and Handspring, he is also the architect of the Palm Pilot and the Treo smartphone and many other computing products.  This course is an opportunity to follow the journey of an established entrepreneur and see the valuable lessons learned, challenges with work/life balance, and more.  Hawkins discusses how to design successful products, market research and the importance of testing products continuously.  There is a lot to be learned from the experience of Jeff Hawkins, and he tackles it all. This is a great option for business students interested in technology.

For more information about Characteristics of The Successful Entrepreneur, with Jeff Hawkins, visit the site here.

4. Entrepreneurship–From Idea to Launch

Over 44,000 students have completed this Udemy course, by Dr. Jeff Cornwall.  New to business or considering Entrepreneurship as an option? Join the 44,097 students who have taken this course in order to gain a practical understanding of what it takes to turn an idea into a successful business. This course offers Exercises to help you apply what you learn to your own idea, and offers lectures that include: The Life Cycle of a Business, Market?, What is a Business Model?, and more.

You can find more information about this Udemy course, here.

5. How to Build a StartUp

Join 287,000 students, and prepare yourself to start an awesome course!

What do you get from this course?

• Actively listening and engaging your customers to find out what exactly they want in your product and how you should deliver it to them
• Gathering, evaluating and using customer feedback to make your product, marketing and business model stronger
• Engaging your customers through the three phases of the customer relationship management lifecycle: get, keep, and grow
• Identifying key resources, partners, activities, and distribution channels required to deliver your product to your customer
• Calculating your direct and indirect costs for delivering your product

If that is not enough to interest you, Steve Blank as an instructor may give you the jolt you need to explore this free course!

6. CodeAcademy

I am currently a student of Code Academy, and it is a great course for anyone interested in learning how to create a website from scratch. Whether you would like to offer your clients more services, are interested in exploring a career as a freelancer, or would just like to explore a new hobby.

Even the mayor of New York has had nothing but great things to say about Code Academy!

For more information about this de Blasio endorsed course, Click Here

7. Think Digital

Understanding Social Media as an Entrepreneur can only be a benefit.  Think Digital teaches you how to leverage the power of social media, to gain more traffic, more customers, more clicks, more shares, more purchases and more involvement in a shorter period of time.

Register NOW

8. Hubspot Academy

This free program from HubSpot is great for CEO’s, Entrepreneurs and students and prepares you to start a business online. Take advantage of digital marketing today and gain a better understanding of website optimization, landing pages and lead nurturing.

Not only do you get a certificate, but a badge that you can share on your website, LinkedIn page or Email Signature.

Get Started

9. Startup Engineering

Startup Engineering is a 12-week course for the Techpreneur.  By the end of this course you will have the skills to build a tech startup from the ground up.  Taught by Stanford’s Balaji Srinivasan and Vijay Pande, you will build a command line application, expose it as a web service, and create an HTML5 mobile app.

For more information, visit Coursera

10. Design Thinking for Business Innovation

Approach the world like a creative, preparing yourself to approach business with the same process, and tools that the best creative minds use to build innovative brands.

Though designing as a craft requires years of dedicated education and talent to master, Design Thinking as a problem solving approach does not.

Get Started

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7 Ways to Enhance Intimacy in Marriage

Successful marriages last a long time. While working at the same place for twenty or thirty years can be monotonous, being married for the same amount of time should be anything but. In fact, successful marriages are so long-lasting simply because both parties actively keep things fresh. The love stories you hear about a couple on their 25th, 30th, or even 50th wedding anniversary all have one thing in common: they’ve done everything they can to keep the passion and intimacy in their marriage alive and growing.

They do so by:

1. Not taking life too seriously.

Life certainly won’t be all fun and games, but that doesn’t mean you have to be serious all the time. Never lose the flirtatious personalities you had when  you started falling in love. Joke around with each other, play pranks on each other, even tease each other (nicely, of course). Be the one who can pull the other out of the dumps when they’re feeling low, and remind them how much there is to enjoy about life.

2. Follow passions together.

Find things you both like to do, and experience them together as much as possible. Don’t be afraid to try new things, either. I know I would never go to an art fair by myself, but I love exploring the different crafts and gadgets being presented while strolling through an exhibition with my wife. And she would never go to a Yankee game if it wasn’t for me, but we have dozens of inside jokes and memories that stem from sporting events in which we both ended up having the time of our lives. Always be open to an experience you know your spouse will enjoy.

3. Be physically present and loving.

Being physical in a marriage doesn’t necessarily have to do with sex. In fact, quite the opposite is true. Remember when you were younger and used to hold hands all the time, or kiss each other goodbye or goodnight? Never stop doing that. Always show love and affection for your spouse, no matter how “used to it” you feel you are. You should never be used to hugging your husband or wife, simply for the fact that one day you might not be able to do so.

4. Write out your feelings.

Don’t just tell your spouse you love them; show them in words. Write them little love notes or poems, and send them letters (even though you live in the same house!). Putting your feelings into written words will not only mean much more to them, but doing so will also refresh in your own mind the reasons you love and care for them so much. If you feel like your relationship has hit a snag or has become somewhat stagnant, get out some fancy paper and write to your loved one exactly what you’d say if they were sitting right next to you.

5. Give thanks and pray together.

Even if you’re not the religious type, recognize the spirituality and sanctity of your marriage. Look deep within your heart and soul, and within your spouse’s heart and soul, and truly get to the essence of what it means to be bound in holy matrimony. Recognize how incredible your life is having someone with you throughout the good and bad times, and give thanks to them, as well as to whatever higher being brought you together for the rest of your life. No matter what you believe in, true love is proof that there are mysterious powers beyond our control that guide us in our daily lives.

5. Spend quiet time together.

Take time to visit a place that is special to your marriage, and simply enjoy that time with no interruptions or outside thoughts. Take in the scenery together, holding hands while making a short, fleeting moment last forever. Let every other care and worry you have slip away, and know that in that moment, the only thing that matters is your relationship.

6. Talk things out.

Like I said, not every moment in your marriage will be perfect. Rough times are unavoidable. But they’re unavoidable for a reason. Instead of trying to skirt the issue, or pretend everything is fine, don’t be afraid to talk about what’s bothering you. There’s nothing worse for a marriage than bottled up feelings that will one day explode in fits of anger or rage. If you feel like your marriage has hit a snag, don’t go to your friends for advice; they’re not experts in your relationship. Go straight to the source. Talk to your spouse about the problem you’re both facing. It will be much easier to work through whatever’s irking you than avoiding the issue altogether.

7. Give thanks and pray together.

Even if you’re not the religious type, recognize the spirituality and sanctity of your marriage. Look deep within your heart and soul, and within your spouse’s heart and soul, and truly get to the essence of what it means to be bound in holy matrimony. Recognize how incredible your life is having someone with you throughout the good and bad times, and give thanks to them, as well as to whatever higher being brought you together for the rest of your life. No matter what you believe in, true love is proof that there are mysterious powers beyond our control that guide us in our daily life.

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