It’s No Child’s Game For The Video Game Industry

There is always an opportunity if you just know where to look. If you can’t see any, then make one happen. That is the thinking of most successful entrepreneurs that have not only made a name for themselves in the business world but has achieved much more than any person can ever achieve in their lifetime. As long as you have the passion and willingness to work hard for your dreams, you can’t go wrong especially with the help of a little bit of luck.

Most people think that traditional businesses are the only ones that will make it big in the world such as basic commodities that are staples to everyday living. But no, you can also excel in other areas that aren’t the usual path taken by the majority. The video games market is huge now but it hasn’t always been the case. But you see, we all need to relax and unwind at times and this need has opened up an opportunity for some to tap and make money from. Over time, others have even become addicted to these games and if you see one today, most of these games look so lifelike that you’d get confused too.

The video gaming industry has transitioned from a group of backyard innovators to an industry of multi-billion dollar companies, hiring psychologists, neuroscientists and marketing experts to turn customers into addicts.

The latest trend is the creation of "whales", people so addicted to games that they spend their entire life savings to keep playing.

But the video gaming industry, today one of the fastest growing industries in the US, has more humble origins.

(Via: http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-09-13/video-game-addiction-how-the-industry-is-learning-from-casinos/8941114)

Nowadays, gaming isn’t all about your usual video games but has expanded into the smart technology market too. Mobile gaming is all the rage now. While the classic and much-loved PlayStation and Wii’s are still pretty much on every child’s wish list, it is easier not to pass boredom and keep yourself entertained by playing mobile games on your smartphone. You can simply download the app and get lost playing games for hours if you have nothing better to do.

According to AmeriResearch.com , the global gaming market was valued at $99.0 billion in 2016 and is forecast to grow at a modest CAGR of 6.4% between 2017 and 2024, culminating to global revenue of $162.8 billionby 2024. The rising popularity of mobile games which can translate into satisfying a wide spectrum of users is an industry trend catching attention of Wall Street. A new report from industry analyst DFC Intelligencefound that mobile games revenue exceeded PC and console revenue for the first time ever in 2016. The emergence of mobile games has significantly lured a large number of users to play games on their devices significantly eliminating concerns related to contiguity and mobility. Gaming Companies in the market with developments and market performance of note include: Tapinator, Inc. (OTC: TAPM), Activision Blizzard, Inc. (NASDAQ: ATVI), Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA), Take-Two Interactive Software Inc. (NASDAQ: TTWO) and Glu Mobile Inc. (NASDAQ: GLUU).

(Via: http://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/Mobile-Game-Revenues-Leading-Billion-Dollar-Gaming-Market-1002265573)

It is perfectly understandable if people are turning into video games and mobile games to help them cope with the stress of daily living. Gaming is not just a massive success to young kids and teens but even to adults too who want an avenue where they can forget about their life priorities even for a while and enjoy a good game or two. After all, all work and no play are no good at all. And it happens to be a billion-dollar industry today that helps make the world go round by allowing people to unleash the inner child in them and have a good time. Knowing how toxic and stressful the world today is, it is safe to say that video and mobile games aren't going anywhere because many need this outlet for them to stay sane when they're about to lose their grip on reality.

The post It’s No Child’s Game For The Video Game Industry was initially published to OCBG

source https://hdbizblog.com/blog/its-no-childs-game-for-the-video-game-industry/

Is Too Much Christmas Carols Bad For Your Mental Health

We can’t deny how much we like Christmas. We look forward to it as soon as it is over and can’t wait for the next holiday season all-year-round. It’s like we have a subtle obsession with the holiday seasons and it is mainly because of our positive experience of Christmas in our childhood. Most children can remember the happiness they feel come Christmas morning when they see the Christmas tree full of presents ready to be opened while Christmas carols can be heard all throughout the house and that of your neighbors too. The sound of carols has a big impact on us as it reminds us of the feeling of that Christmas morning we have been reliving in our minds all these years and we take comfort in it knowing that the world is not as bad as it seems.

Unfortunately, there are some experts saying that listening to Christmas carols may actually do you more harm than good especially when you are repeatedly exposed to it months ahead of the holidays. Just what do the experts know about it for them to be able to say this? Do they have a solid proof that constant exposure to the sound of carols is actually harming our health and not the other way around? Well, we’re about to find out.

Employees working in stores that repeatedly play Christmas music could be at risk of their mental health deteriorating, experts have warned. 

Songs of the season can encourage customers to make impulse purchases by prompting feelings of nostalgia and warmth — which retailers like. 

But staff, who have to listen to the songs over and over again throughout their shifts, have to 'tune out', says clinical psychologist Linda Blair.

'Music goes right to our emotions immediately and it bypasses rationality,' she told Sky News. 

(Via: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5075227/Workers-mental-health-risk-Christmas-songs.html)

It is so ironic right when the sound of carols filling the air is not working the way that it should be. Well, it may be a positive experience for consumers who suddenly feel an impulse to buy a gift or two for their loved ones but it apparently has a negative effect to the people working in that store or shop. They become numb to these songs and the essence of Christmas is eventually lost on them as the days drag on. During Christmastime itself, they already lose interest and Christmas will never be the same for them anymore.

Clinical psychologist Linda Blair told Sky News that Christmas songs can make us feel “trapped”. “It’s a reminder that we have to buy presents, cater for people, and organize celebrations,” she said.
Well, surely that can’t be too bad unless “Grinch” or "Scrooge" is your middle name.
Blair also shared that people working in shops during the festive season have to try and tune out of Christmas songs because if they don’t, they lose focus.
“You’re simply spending all of your energy trying not to hear what you’re hearing,” she said.

(Via: http://www.iflscience.com/health-and-medicine/christmas-music-could-harm-your-mental-health/)

Some stores have taken this warning seriously and turned off sounds of carols in the mall while some invited choirs and singers to perform and sing carols for the public, so the music does not sound so repetitive to the employees manning the store. The experts have actually coined a term for it, “the exposure effect”, which explains the relationship between us hearing a music we like and our subsequent reaction to it. Nobody discredits the joy these Christmas carols bring but if you keep on hearing them months prior the holidays, it sounds like an overkill already and you eventually lose interest on Christmas altogether and change your mind about it. Worst is that your mental health suffers because you work in a mall and you keep hearing songs of carols on repeat over the past few months or weeks.

Is Too Much Christmas Carols Bad For Your Mental Health was originally published to The HD Business Blog

source https://hdbizblog.com/blog/is-too-much-christmas-carols-bad-for-your-mental-health/

Linux PCs No Longer Safe From Hacking

The web is full of amazing things that can leave you enthralled from sunrise to sunset. The lure of social media is so strong it is almost impossible to ignore it. Then, there are opportunities for work and business that you can take advantage that only the web can offer. We love posting pictures on social media and relish the likes we get from family and friends. Our digital machines not only serve as portals to the web but also as storage for our most important of files. But as the digital world continues to grow and improve, the threat of cyber criminals grows even stronger and more menacing than ever.

The world thinks that Macs and Linux PCs are immune to these attacks but as the days go by, we become more aware that this is not entirely true. These gadgets can also be hacked although not as easily as most Window-powered computers. Yet knowing how lucrative this market is and how affluent most of its users are, cyber criminals are busy at work in devising malware that can infect these high-end computers for profit.

WikiLeaks today revealed 3 new hacking tools built by the CIA that target Mac and Linux computers. The leaked hacking tools are supposedly related to the CIA’s so-called Imperial project.

The first hacking tool called Achilles, is probably the most interesting out of the three. Achilles can be used by CIA operators to essentially pack malicious applications with an actual macOS app (.dmg) for one-time execution. Once a user installs the infected file, the malicious app would run in the background without the user noticing its execution, and it’ll also self-destruct — leaving the actual application look untouched. The first version of Achilles was built back in 2011, tested only on macOS’ Snow Leopard (10.6).

The second and third tools are known as SeaPea and Aeris, respectively. SeaPea can be used by CIA operators to get low-level access to a Mac without the user even realizing, and the only way to completely get rid of the tool would require the user to completely format their main drive. Similar to Achilles, SeaPea was also developed in 2011 and tested on macOS’ Snow Leopard (10.6) and Lion (10.7). Aeris, on the other hand, is apparently built to backdoor Linux and affects Debian, CentOS, and Red Hat.

(Via: https://mspoweruser.com/cia-hacking-tool-exposes-myth-safe-mac-linux-computers/)

The world was shaken when WannaCry came like a thief in the night and crippled big companies and institutions for days. However, it mostly affected older versions of Window PCs. Yet, Macs also have Fruitfly, for instance, a malware capable of performing advanced surveillance on MacOS gadgets. This very same malware also wreaks havoc on Linux PCs. It is a good thing that a simple device update can save you from a major headache unless your gadget has already been infected.

Last month, a group of attackers exploited a vulnerability in the Samba file-sharing software to hack into Linux systems and install malware. The same group is now targeting Windows systems with a new backdoor program.

The newly discovered malicious program has been dubbed CowerSnail by researchers from antivirus vendor Kaspersky Lab. They believe it was created by the same attackers who installed cryptocurrency mining software on Linux computers in early June because it shares the same command-and-control server.

The June attack campaign took advantage of a remote code execution vulnerability known as SambaCry that affected all Samba versions released over the past seven years. Samba is a software package for Unix-based systems that implements the SMB network protocol. It is used to share files between computers on local networks.

(Via: https://www.forbes.com/sites/lconstantin/2017/07/26/creators-of-sambacry-linux-malware-also-have-a-windows-backdoor-program/#6bcf42d650bd)

Cyber criminals don’t stop in looking for vulnerabilities in systems that they can take advantage of and make money from. Linux is one of the latest victims as these criminals hacked the Samba file-sharing software in order to install malware into Linux that used to be so safe from cyber attacks alongside Macs but not anymore. By doing so, cyber-hackers can mine digital currencies like Bitcoins etc. through compromised computers they have taken control over. The frightening part here is the big possibility that these criminals can create more malware using this platform, a big reason to be worried about among Linux users who used to feel so safe and secured, unlike most Windows users.

The following blog article Linux PCs No Longer Safe From Hacking is available on HDBizBlog.com

source https://hdbizblog.com/blog/linux-pcs-no-longer-safe-from-hacking/

Surviving Sports-Related Injuries

Most sports games are highly physical. It entails years of training, practice, and knowledge about what moves work or not in the playing field. While athletes are trained to do their thing, accidents do happen and it is not uncommon for them to sustain various sports-related injuries because getting hurt is all part of the game. Whether in amateur or professional sports, the threat of sustaining an injury is always there and it is a risk all athletes take in every game they play.

It is not yet the end of the world once they do sustain an injury. While there are certain injuries that can spell the end of their careers for some like major accidents involving the spine, brain, and other sensitive internal organs, most injuries are minor and can be easily treated by first aid or a trip to the ER. Athletes that suffer a life-threatening injury are forced to retire early and give up their dreams of taking their career to the next level. Meanwhile, others try to find alternative careers in sports such as becoming a coach or trainer, perhaps.

The professionals with a sports medicine group can help prevent and treat injuries that affect the body’s flexibility, mobility and strength. And, just as important, these specialists can provide important information about how to exercise properly and make the most of your body’s physical capabilities and limitations, so you can pursue the activities you enjoy, safely.

Movement-related injuries

Acute injuries occur because of an incident, such as impact or a fall. These injuries might include a deep cut or bruise, an ankle sprain, a muscle strain, a dislocation or bone fracture. Acute injuries involve body trauma and should be treated immediately.

Chronic injuries — or “overuse injuries” — develop over a period of time, as a result of repetitive motion, such as running, overhead throwing, or extending a limb (such as swinging a tennis racket). Overuse injuries can also occur when you increase the intensity, duration or frequency of an activity too quickly.

(Via: http://www.dailyitem.com/news/lifestyles/sports-medicine-not-just-for-athletes/article_9e49b257-8ee2-5e23-a8a8-c14c0ac8900a.html)

Despite the risks, athletes don’t just easily give up their dreams of becoming a sports superstar because of a minor injury they sustained in the daily years of practice to hone their skills. Fortunately, we live in a day and age where many things that used to be impossible several years back are now made possible by modern science and technology. A fine example is stem cell treatment. It is still in its infancy but you can’t deny that this science has so much potential and can possibly be the answer to most sports-related injuries sustained by athletes in their line of work.

That's the environment now in which orthopedic sports medicine specialists must operate. Right now, everyone loves the phrase "stem cells." It means hope for people who haven't found any relief for an ailment, whether it is arthritis, spinal cord injury, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or Crohn's disease. Unfortunately, unscrupulous physicians are taking advantage of the hype and cashing in on these patients' desperation.

Having participated in multiple trials of stem cells for orthopedic treatments, I share some of this hope. For a few limited indications, such as femoral head and femoral condyle osteonecrosis, stem cells may already be worth trying. I have helped develop a concentrated bone marrow aspirate (Intraosseous BioPlasty, Arthrex) for the related indication of knee osteonecrosis. And I am now involved in clinical trials of stem cell therapy for articular cartilage resurfacing and repair.

(Via: http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/882226)

Even outside of sports (both amateur and professional), talks about stem cell research not only sparks controversies but excitement as well. Who wouldn’t be excited at the possibility of not having to worry about any disease or condition in this world with the aid of stem cells, where every cell in your body comes from? Imagine, you can just regenerate new cells in the presence of disease or infections and become healthy once more. For someone who is at a higher risk of getting injured like athletes, this technology is not just handy but a life saver to allow them to pursue their athletic passion without fear of getting hurt, sick, or even die in the midst of a game.

The following article Surviving Sports-Related Injuries is republished from https://hdbizblog.com

source https://hdbizblog.com/blog/surviving-sports-related-injuries/