Best CFD Trading Brokers in Africa (Revealed)

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February 23, 2021

Before African traders can start trading in global financial markets, they must first undergo the process of evaluating and selecting a broker through which trading activities will commence.

There are numerous brokers who offer CFD trading to African traders and although most African countries allow trading, traders must heed caution where unregulated brokers are concerned along with scam brokers.

There are many fraudulent and illegitimate brokers who seek to target unsuspecting traders into investing their funds, with no intention of using funds towards trading activities.

When traders try to make withdrawals, such brokers often inform the trader that issues have occurred during their withdrawal, or the trading account is mysteriously depleted of funds that the broker claimed went to hidden fees and charges.

When choosing a CFD broker, African traders are therefore urged to make use of reputable and well-regulated brokers that have a history of built-up trustworthiness, a good reputation, and excellent services.

Brokers that are well-regulated are required to keep client funds in separate, or segregated, accounts with top-tier banks. These funds are only used for trading activities and traders can withdraw their funds at any given time says Louis Schoeman, Senior Forex Analyst from Forexsuggest.com.

In addition, should traders have issues with a regulated broker, they are backed by a regulatory framework. It also provides traders with some assurance that they can get their funds back should the broker be unable to fulfill their financial obligations.

AvaTrade

AvaTrade is one of the most popular names in the trading industry. As a multi-award-winning Market Maker and STP broker offering a vast variety of CFDs, AvaTrade is suited for both beginner and Expert African traders seeking a competitive edge to their trading.

Pros and Cons

PROS	CONS
Well-regulated	US Clients not allowed
Award-winning broker	Variable spreads not offered
Fast trade execution	Only one account type for either retail or professionals
Competitive trading conditions
Social trading offered

City Index

City Index is a leading CFD and forex trading broker offering African traders with the trade-in of more than 12,000 financial instruments. With City Index, traders can expect fast trade execution, award-winning trading platforms, innovative trading technology, and competitive trading conditions.

Pros and Cons

PROS	CONS
Strict regulation	US clients not accepted
Negative balance protection	Limited payment methods
Advanced trading platforms	No fixed spreads
Trading signals

Trading 212

Trading 212 is a reputable mobile trading platform that caters to traders from several African countries. With Trading 212, traders have access to zero-commission trading, more than 2,000 financial instruments, access to innovative trading technology, and a low minimum deposit requirement.

Pros and Cons

PROS	CONS
Well-regulated	US Clients not accepted
FSCS member	Limited leverage for retail clients
Commission-free trading	MetaTrader not offered
Intuitive and user-friendly trading platform
Low minimum deposit requirement

ActivTrades

ActivTrades is an award-winning online broker offering traders from around the world the opportunity to trade in more than 500 financial instruments spanning across several asset classes. African traders have access to negative balance protection, commission-free trading, and exclusive trading tools to their disposal.

Pros and Cons

PROS	CONS
Well-regulated	US Clients not accepted
Negative balance protection	Limited account types
ICS Member	No fixed spreads
Exclusive trading tools
Commission-free trading

eToro

eToro is another popular name in the industry along with being the lead social trading platform. With eToro, African traders have limitless social trading opportunities and a vast online community. eToro also offers competitive trading conditions and a powerful proprietary trading platform that can be used over a variety of devices.

Pros and Cons

PROS	CONS
Strictly regulated	US Clients not accepted
Commission-free trading	Limited leverage for retail traders
Large online community	No fixed spreads
Competitive trading conditions	MetaTrader not offered

Plus500

Plus500 is a multi-regulated and popular CFD broker which offers more than 2,000 tradable financial instruments to African traders. In addition, Plus500 also has low trading and non-trading fees, tight and competitive spreads, and low commission charges on trades.

Pros and Cons

PROS	CONS
>Multiple regulations	Limited account options
Multilingual support	Desktop version of trading platform not available
Large variety of tradeable financial instruments	High inactivity fee
Low trading fees, tight spreads, and low commissions	Withdrawal fees charged
Adequate leverage offered	Limited payment options supported

HotForex

As a Cyprus-based broker that is multi-regulated and reputable, HotForex offers African traders some of the best trading conditions in the industry and an array of bonuses and promotions, getting traders started on the right foot in CFD trading.

Pros and Cons

PROS	CONS
Strictly and well-regulated	US Clients not allowed
Strong international presence
Competitive trading conditions offered
Vast variety of account types offered

Alpari

Alpari has been offering its comprehensive trading services and solutions since 1998 and is a reputable STP and ECN broker. Alpari boasts more than 2 million registered traders from 150 countries, including several African countries. Alpari is constantly working to expand its client base, offering traders from all over the world competitive trading conditions.

Pros and Cons

PROS	CONS
Well-regulated	Restriction on traders from some countries
MetaTrader 4 and 5 offered	Limited financial instruments offered
PAMM Accounts offered	Fixed spread accounts not offered

Exness

Exness was established in 2008 and is a popular and reputable broker catering to various traders despite their trading needs, objectives, levels of experience, and styles. With Exness, African traders have access to a vast range of markets, powerful trading platforms, and low trading and non-trading fees.

Pros and Cons

PROS	CONS
Strictly regulated	US Clients not allowed
High maximum leverage offered	Accounts not multi-currency
Powerful trading platforms
Variety of financial instruments

XM

XM is a well-established ECN and STP broker which features a rich history in providing traders with comprehensive trading solutions. When trading with XM, traders have access to an impressive range of markets, competitive conditions, a variety of account types, negative balance protection, and access to some of the most innovative, powerful trading platforms.

Pros and Cons

PROS	CONS
Well-regulated	US Clients not allowed
Negative balance protection offered	Fixed spreads not offered
Competitive trading conditions

Cultural Nature of Gambling in Asia

By

Дмитра Врачарић

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February 23, 2021

Gambling activities have a long history in the Asia region. Interestingly, traditional gambling has appeared in 3000 BC in Asia. Some historical evidence confirms that the Chinese were betting on unearthed tiles. That was actually in the period of 2300 BC. When we are talking about the gambling market nowadays, we can say certainly that Asia is a place where gambling is taking its place the most. Interest in gambling activities is increasing every single day. We will transfer this into a statistic, so you can have a clear insight into how popular gambling is in Asia since ancient times. Approximately 32.7% of the global gambling market is recorded in this region.

However, the cultural nature of gambling in Asia is not just old; it is also specific. That is the reason why we need to make an in-depth analysis of it.

Legalization of gambling

As evidence shows, gambling activities were very important for the Asian population. There are many destinations where gambling in traditional casinos is a legal activity. Some of them are Japan, Singapore, and the Philippines. On the other hand countries such as China, North Korea, India, Kuwait do not allow legal gambling. However, in countries where gambling is legal, there are also some specific rules.

For instance, Singapore allows only two legal casinos. Logically, they share the gambling monopoly in the country. One more interesting thing is that sports betting and some lucky games are under the control of two supervisors. In some countries, gambling is legal only for tourists. The main reason why gambling is mostly illegal in the Asia region is the fact that most of the countries are Islamic. Even though people are very interested in gambling, religion makes trouble in regulating legalization.

However, one gambling option is more and more popular across the globe, especially in Asia. As technology develops, many new options are available to us, and they to make our lifestyle easier. One of the things that advanced technology brings is online gambling. If you want to find out the best online casinos, you can check out DarkSnow. That is the best possible alternative people where traditional gambling is illegal have.

What makes the Asian population so committed to gambling?

If you are wondering why is gambling so popular in these parts, you will find the answer in their cultural believes. The Asian population is very committed to believing in luck and inducing positive energy. For that reason, their culture created through years different superstitions that are popular even today. People who do not live in that region consider those superstitions as a very interesting phenomenon. In further text, you will find out some of the most specific ones. Moreover, this is a perfect example to show you how important gambling is for Asians.

Wear red before going to a casino, preferably a red underwear

Some people who are gambling can understand and identify with Asians who think that red color brings luck and positive outcome. However, no population believes in this superstition more than Asians. In their culture, the red color symbolizes good fortune and joy. For that reason, if you are wearing red while you are gambling, luck and joy will follow you. This applies mostly to wearing red underwear.

Believing in feng shui

Everyone heard of how the power of feng shui can influence good luck. In other words, they think that they can manipulate with energy and cause positiveness. This especially counts for Chineses. For instance, they avoid entering the casino on the main door because they think they are cursed by masters of feng shui. Interestingly, many Asians who believe in feng shui do not realize the fact that they would never win on gambling because of feng shui. The ancient philosophy and culture do not allow gambling and it is considered as bad luck and damnation.

Praying to the gambling gods is important for the outcome

Praying to the gambling gods is a very important thing for gamblers across Asia. Moreover, they actually have specific circumstances when they are allowed to pray to these gods. Gamblers consider them as gambling spirits. When they are referring to them before going to attempt their luck, they feel very encouraged to think they are going to win. They think that, if they show to gods commitment, those gambling gods will help them in achieving good results.

Two specific rules while Asians are gambling

People from the West will say that this sounds really weird, however, Asians do not allow anyone to touch their shoulder before they are going to the casino. Despite that, it is forbidden to mention any book to the gamblers people. They think these things bring bad luck. The book for Asians has a similar translation as the word “lose”. On the other hand, they think touching someone else’s shoulder is a very unclear gesture.

Women are gambling when they have menstruation

This superstition refers to women, so the male population will not understand it. Women consider that luck will follow them if they gamble while they are having the period. Even though the menstruation period lasts for a couple of days, women use that opportunity to attempt their luck. If they are leaking – it is a big chance for luck “to leak” as well.

Washing hands before gambling influence the destiny

One more interesting superstition that is very popular among Asians is to think that washing their hands can change the direction of luck. If they are in the middle of the game and they are losing, the key is to run away to the nearest bathroom and wash the hands. In that way, they are washing bad luck from them. On the other hand, if luck follows you while you are on the gambling table, you should not wash your hands at all. If you wash them, you can wash the good luck away. Interestingly, this superstition is now popular even in the West.

They do not have sex before gambling

Even though it is hard to believe in this, Asians are very superstitious about having sex before they gamble. They are thinking in this way – if they want to get lucky and to score on the gambling, they should not experience luck in the bed and satisfaction. Those things just do not go together.

How to Personalise Your Windows 10 Laptop Experience

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Дмитра Врачарић

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February 23, 2021

Our laptops are very personal items to us and are something that many of us use day in, day out for hours at a time. Because of this, it is only fair that we have the option to customize our user experience. Thankfully, Windows offers a whole bunch of features that means users can do just that – you just have to know where to find them and how to use them.

This piece will show you exactly how to do that! Some of them might even surprise you.

Change Your Theme

If you are well acquainted with Windows, you will know that their signature theme is blue-based, which comes as a staple with all laptops. However, if this is not your jam, you can change your theme to something that suits your personality and mood much better.

This can include how apps and fonts look, and almost everything can be changed right down to your mouse cursor colour!

Windows laptops do now come with a variety of stunning landscapes and images to use as your lock screen and background, but if you are fed up with staring at somewhere you can’t be right now, then why not opt for a picture of something else you can’t see instead? Like your family or your favourite band? You can change it to anything your heart desires.

To change your theme, simply click on the Start menu and select Settings. On the settings bar, you will find an icon called “Personalization“ with an icon of a paintbrush over a computer screen, a fitting image for this. In this, you will uncover a list of all the areas that you can change on your laptop, from the background to the colours you use. Head down to “Themes” and choose from the selection of Mythemes and Windows Default Themes and start personalising your laptop.

Go Dark

Windows 10 gives its users the option to now enjoy “dark mode” on their laptop, essentially where all the traditional backgrounds are turned dark. This is mostly a personal preference, though some might find that one of the benefits of dark mode is that it helps lessen eye strain by having a dimmer interface. It also makes you feel like you are in a spy movie.

This couldn’t be simpler to do; on the same menu as before on settings, head to “Personalization,” and this time click on their option “Colors.” Here you will find a tick button option that allows you to select dark mode.

Create a Virtual Desktop

If you, like everybody else, can’t help but drift off to the personal side of your laptop when you are desperately trying to keep doing your work, then here is a cool tip.

You can create a virtual desktop by simply pressing the Windows key and Tab. This will bring up all of your current running windows, and in the top left-hand corner of your screen on a lenovo, you will find the option to create a new desktop, which will allow you to flip between, work, play, and whatever else you would need a separate desktop for.

Sort Out Your Display

Your display can also be personalised to give you a much more comfortable user experience. An example of what you could do includes changing the size of the apps, text, and other items on your screen, which can be found in the advanced display settings under System. You can also adjust your text resolution, which is brilliant for those who struggle to read off a screen or have mild short-sighted myopia. Do not feel afraid to play around with the effects, as many Windows laptops will show you a preview of what you are changing before you commit to the change. You can always change any of these preferences back if you want to.

If you ever feel frustrated by the taskbar and its location, the good news is that you can change this too. Move it to the top of the screen or to the side to make using your laptop a breeze.

View Your Pictures Throughout the Day Easily

We’ve all been there; when the day has been busy and tiring, and we want nothing more than to finish up what we are doing and spend some time with our loved ones. Well, thanks to this handy personalisation option on Windows 10, you can feel as though your loved ones are with you during the working day by displaying their pictures on your desktop. If you right-click on the desktop screen and click “Personalize,” or head to settings and select “Personalization,” and head to the option “Background,” you can choose a still image from your photo album.

If you can’t choose between your pictures, you could try your hand at making a collage. However, this is a lot of work, so why not let Windows 10 do the work for you by selecting the option Slideshow? Place as many photos as you want into a folder and browse your PC for this and select your album. The great thing is that you can set the length of time between each picture, whether you want it on shuffle and if you still want this to display when your battery is running low, so you can really make this your own. You can then enjoy seeing wonderful memories throughout the working day.

Change Your Start Menu

We need everything to be much faster in this day and age, including the length of time it takes to find an app and open it during the working day. This is why this option of personalisation is so great. If you don’t like the options the start menu offers, you can easily change this to suit you, whether this is to make starting work easier. Simply right-click and unpin an app or a folder you don’t want from the menu. Then choose the folders you want to be displayed, such as programmes, apps, music, and more. You can do this in Settings. Slide across the digital switch to turn it orange, and this folder will display on your startup menu.

5 Best Yoga Retreat in Russia

By

Дмитра Врачарић

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February 23, 2021

We have collected Russia’s top theme hotels and rehab centers for those who want to practice yoga and refresh their energy. These places are located on the outskirts of Moscow and the most beautiful places in Russia. Go check it out!

1. The “Abrau-Yoga” center of the “Abrau-Dyurso” resort

The “Abrau-Dyurso” resort not far from Novorossiysk and the Black Sea is not only the center of Russia’s grape growing, but also a good place for relaxation. There is a “HotelImperial&Champagne SPA” hotel, on the hills and in the vineyards, there are many health trails for walking therapy, and a “Abrau-Yoga” center opened recently.

The demolition center is surrounded by mountains, between the sea and the “Abrau-Durso” lake, surrounded by ancient forests. Usually courses are held in the hall. But when the weather is good, there will also be cleaning classes in the open-air square of the “Sahasrara” yoga studio. This yoga studio is a two-story wooden pavilion from which you can enjoy panoramic views of mountains, forests and the sea.

In the timetable, there are regular classes with local coaches, and training classes with invited yoga teachers and other class teachers. In the “Abrau-Yoga” center, classes will be held for newcomers, children and yoga therapy projects, as well as two-person yoga (Acroyoga) and art yoga (Artyoga) courses. There are also some classic courses: Hathayoga, YogaNidra and Meditation. Individual customized courses can also be provided. The fee for group lectures starts at 300 rubles, the fee for individual lectures starts at 1000 rubles, and the fee for seminars starts at 1500 rubles.

Organizing everyone to live in “Round Lake Manor” is very convenient. Tourists who come here for yoga repairs will like it here. During the rest of the yoga class, you can swim in the heated swimming pool, enjoy the steam bath, play billiards, and grill some delicious things on the grill. Next to the manor is a stable, which houses a unique pony breed from Iceland-because they are not tall, they can be easily controlled by children and adults who have never ridden a horse.

If you’d like to visit Abrau Dyurso, don’t forget to get your Russian visa at visaexpress.com first.

2. At the “Yoga Villa” in Pereslavl-Zalessky

In the village of Gorodishche (Gorodishche) on the shore of Lake Pleshcheyevo in the northern outskirts of Pereslavl-Zalessky, there is a “yoga villa”.

On weekends, coaches from Moscow and Yaroslavl Region will come here to teach. Courses are conducted in a spacious and bright hall with panoramic windows. In good weather, classes can be conducted on the wooden terrace or on the lawn.

It is surrounded by churches and monasteries. Shavasana yoga. Maybe one day it will be the Orthodox bells that time yoga instead of the Tibetan cups or the Chinese gongs.

During the course break, you can go to Lake Preseyevo, or to the Pereslavl-Zalessky Center. And visit the Kremlin, Flatiron Museum, “Goritsky” Monastery and other attractions there.

3. Eco hotel “Altika” in Altai

South of Gorno-Altaysk, between Ust’-Muny and Barangol, on the banks of the Katun River There is an “Altika” eco hotel. When constructing this small Scandinavian style building, only natural materials and innovative technology were used. You can stay in the main body of the house that looks like flying above the ground and trapped in red pine.

The hotel welcomes guests who support environmental protection and participate in spiritual and physical practice-specifically, yoga and vegetarianism. A comfortable practice hall and outdoor pavilion are provided for yoga classes. The hotel has a spa and sauna center. If you have children, you can take them to the children’s playground on the banks of the cartoon river. If you feel that you don’t have enough training in the yoga class, you can go to the gym.

4. “Ecological Camp” in Crimea

“EcoCamp” mountainous ecological camp in Central Crimea has been offering yoga, qigong, Ayurveda, massage, breathing techniques, Vedas, Shamanism practice, Tibetan and Chinese medicine training for several years class. It organizes summer camps for children to develop creativity and thinking, study nature, learn foreign languages and folk crafts.

EcoCamp is waiting for people and vegetarians who support ecological lifestyles and use alternative energy sources. The owners are engaged in green building and landscape design, organic and biological agronomy, and agricultural activities.

In order to hold various courses, there are two halls. There is also a vegetarian cafe open. In addition, there are tea pavilions, children’s playground, swimming pool and steam bath. Although the location is far away, electricity and Wi-Fi are always available. During the course, you can live in tent camps, reed bungalows, comfortable huts or ecological houses. In the entire camp, smoking, drinking and eating meat are not welcome.

The “EcoCamp” ecological camp is located on a slope in the “Belbek” valley, surrounded by a nature reserve. Surrounded by the Mangup Kale cave fortress (Mangup Kale), the ancient city of EskiKermen (EskiKermen), cave monasteries that have gone through thousands of years-Kachi Kalon (Kachi Kalon), Boyka Mountain (Boyka), Kerry Mia Grand Canyon, Falcon Rocks, Uzundzha Canyon. The camp is located in the ancient settlement of Calro, built by Christians in the eighth century. They are descendants of German nomads and later incorporated into the Crimean Khanate. There are many legends in this place. The host and locals will be happy to tell you these stories.

There is an apple orchard in the camp, surrounded by grassy grasses, broad-leaved forests, cypress bushes, and ancient red pine forests with blooming flowers and herbs. The nearest settlement “Novoul’yanovka” is four kilometers away. There is a clean mountain lake. Because of the limestone, its bottom and embankment are white, and the color of the water is emerald.

5. In the “Lago-Naki” nursing home in the Adygea Republic

The sanatorium and boarding house “Lago-Naki” is only a few kilometers away from Maykop, the capital of The Republic of Adygea, at the foot of the “Lago-Naki” nature reserve. The nursing home focuses on spa, medical and beauty projects. Modern rooms are provided for guests in the main building and several cottages. For refreshment and yoga classes, there is a comfortable practice hall and an open field.

The kitchen of the nursing home will definitely take your dietary preferences into consideration. There are two open-air swimming pools for adults and children, as well as cafes and restaurants. For horse riding enthusiasts, the stables are open. You can relax by the river when the weather is good. But usually, there will be massage and other classes between yoga classes. The local doctors are very good at spondylopathy and are always ready to provide some treatments for guests-such as “anti-stress plan” and weight loss treatments.

Top 5 Lottery Winners’ Stories

By

Дмитра Врачарић

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February 23, 2021

Let’s face it, winning a lottery is a big thing! It becomes even bigger if you win a major cash prize or hit the jackpot. You’ll never know how sweet it is to win a lottery prize not unless you start playing the game and stand a chance of winning.

However, you can hear stories of people who’ve won the lottery to motivate you and give you a sneak preview of how interesting the lottery is. Today, we’ve gathered five stories from past lottery winners, which we will share with you to show how the lottery has transformed people’s lives.

1. How Powerball Jackpot Kept a Cowbow Ranching

One of the most instrumental stories of lottery winners is that of a 23-year-old Neal Wanless who was struggling to keep his property afloat in 2009. Neal was always behind on taxes and he could not afford basic repairs in his ranch. He even opted to start selling scrap metal to earn him some extra cash that he could try to repair his ranch.

One day, it dawned on him that he could try his luck on the lottery, given that he had tried everything but nothing seems to be going right for him. Just like any other lottery player, he took the risk and invested $5 he had earned from selling scrap metals. Neal selected his lucky numbers based on the birthdays of his family members.

His risk proved worthy when he won one of the biggest Powerball jackpots. After paying taxes, he was left with about $88.5 million. This money was more than enough to keep his ranch back in shape. He also used some part of the money to help his community, truly living by the spirit of the lottery, which is helping the community.

2. Life-changing moments for a single mother of five

The story of Cynthia P. Stafford is also an interesting one from a lottery winner. Cynthia’s brother was hit by a drunk driver and died, forcing her to take in her brother’s five children. The burden of raising the five children and also supporting her father financially was too much a burden for her.

In January 2007, her situation got worse as she struggled to pay her bills; however, she couldn’t stop thinking of how a lottery win could transform her life. She had a figure in her mind, $112 million, a figure she had started thinking about since 2004, and she focused her life on winning that amount. She tried using several methods that attracted luck, one of which included meditating on becoming a winner of $112 million.

Unbelievably, Cynthia won the exact amount after buying jackpot tickets a couple of times every month. She credited her consistent prayers and the law of attraction for guiding her to her desired major win. Just like that, her life and that of her brother’s children changed for good.

3. A lottery winner spends her life giving it away

Every lottery winner always has an interesting story of how they won the money and how they spent it; however, the story of Sheelah Ryan is rather fascinating. She won $52 million after playing the Florida State Lottery. Her win was the biggest an individual had gotten at the time.

Soon after winning, she started giving out the money back to society. Sheelah spent her final years of life helping her community using the money she won from the lottery. Many people believed that she had won the money for the sole reason of giving it away to help people who needed it the most.

She starter a charitable organization that helped the poor and the underprivileged. After winning, she lived for six years before succumbing to cancer. However, the Ryan Foundation that she left behind has been carrying on the good work of helping the needy in Florida.

4. Powerball winners use their winnings to fight a disease that killed their granddaughter

The story of Paul and Sue is also an interesting one to hear. It is that of Powerball winners who dedicated their winnings to help find the solution to a disease that had killed their granddaughter five years earlier.

So, when they won $181.2 million in 2008, they decided that they will start a foundation that will help raise awareness of the rare disease that killed their granddaughter. Krabbe Disease is a rare and incurable disease that affects 1/100,000 newborns. An affected child often dies within the first two years as the lining of their nerves is attacked. The rareness of the disease makes it less likely to receive funding from donors.

The two jackpot winners founded an organization, The Legacy of Angels, which raised awareness of Krabbe Disease and funded future research that would lead to treatment.

5. Man gives away his winnings to fight the disease that killed his wife

Tom Crist’s story is also an inspirational one. While many lottery winners plan to quit their jobs and take a vacation exploring life out there, he dedicated all his $40 million winnings to fighting the disease that had killed his wife.

Tom had lost his wife two years earlier to cancer. Since he was already retired with his adult children doing well, he decided to use all the money to help fight cancer. He donated his winnings to an organization that fights cancer, and his children were extremely happy with the idea.

Three Takeaways from Lottery Winners’ Stories

The five stories are extremely interesting and motivational. These are the three things that we can learn from the stories of the past winners of the lottery.

The lottery is a game of chance. You never know when you can win and anybody can be a winner, regardless of the socioeconomic background.
Persistence and the law of attraction are useful tools that can help you win the lottery. You have to believe in yourself to win the lottery.
Lottery winnings mustn’t be spent holidaying! You can invest the money in a charity of your choice and still enjoy your winning.

Remember, you have a chance of becoming a lottery winner if you start playing today. If you want to join the exclusive club of the lottery winners – check LottoNigeria.com and play GG World Lotto.

7 Types of Healthcare Software You Should Know

By

Дмитра Врачарић

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February 22, 2021

Software is helping improve, modernize, and grow many industries in 2024. This is true in the worlds of finance, education, manufacturing, hospitality, and other areas. In the healthcare industry, technological innovations help define what professionals do and how they do it in the 21st century.

It isn’t just one type of software, either. Many types of software are used in many different capacities to benefit the entire healthcare industry. The effects are being felt on all sides of the industry from the patients to medical professionals to business-side administrators.

To help you better understand the types of software being used and how they are affecting the healthcare industry, we have put together a list of some of the top types of software being used in the field today. Here are seven types of healthcare software you should know.

1. Electronic Health Record Software

Electronic health record software (EHR) is used to securely store and manage patient data. It is among the most widely used forms of software in the healthcare industry. EHR software keeps a record of patients’ personal information, medical charts, medical history, medications, and more. The combined modules provide a comprehensive overview of each patient’s condition and history. In addition, A large percentage of healthcare organizations need to be HIPAA compliant, while most of them receive and send patient health information by fax. Consider moving to cloud fax, like mfax.io, to boost productivity and increase security. Secure and reliable fax is essential to protect patient privacy and comply with HIPAA.

Subsets of EHR software have slightly different, specific functions. The two most widely-used are electronic medical record software (EMR) and electronic patient record software (EPR). An EMR is a patient record created by a specific provider to digitally store a patient’s health records from a specific facility or network. This is like a digital version of a paper chart at a hospital. An EPR, sometimes known as a personal health record (PHR), is a digital medical file owned by the patient that can be shared with different healthcare providers.

2. Medical Billing Software

The financial side of the healthcare industry can be very complex. Medical visits and treatments often consist of multiple tests, procedures, and other services. Payments may be the responsibility of the patient, an insurance company, or some combination of the two. Much of this complicated and time-consuming process used to be done hand or with simple spreadsheets but software is changing that.

Medical billing software helps healthcare companies keep their billing and payment systems organized, automates many of the processes within these systems, and helps these businesses get paid in-full and on-time. This type of software is often combined with EHR software (see above) to streamline the entire medical billing and payment process.

3. Software as a Medical Device

One of the most interesting and important uses for software in the healthcare industry is Software as a Medical Device (SaMD). This software is used to diagnose, treat, or prevent health issues while working independently of any other medical device. This incredible technology is helping to make healthcare more affordable, connected, personal, convenient, and cost-effective.

Some examples of SaMD include software that analyzes x-rays or MRIs to help catch issues undetectable to the naked eye or an app that uses your smartphone microphone to detect breathing issues while you are sleeping. To learn more about what SaMD is, how it works, and how it is revolutionizing the healthcare industry, Orthogonal has more details here on the current state of software as a medical device.

4. E-prescribing Software

E-prescribing (eRx) software electronically sends prescriptions for pharmaceutical drugs from a prescribing physician directly to a pharmacy. This software makes the prescribing and filling process for drugs more efficient, more safe and more secure. It is more efficient because digitally transmitted prescriptions drastically reduces the number of phone calls pharmacists make for clarification of orders.

On the safety and security side, eRX cuts down on incorrectly filled scripts and makes the transaction between doctor and pharmacist much harder to fake or counterfeit. This last is a big help in the war on prescription drug abuse. eRx software is quickly becoming standard in the pharmaceutical industry. Rules and regulations vary but several states and major pharmacy chains now actually require prescriptions to be sent via eRx software.

5. Telemedicine Software

The 2024 COVID-19 pandemic has brought many changes, especially in the healthcare industry. One of these major changes is the rise of telemedicine software. This software was slowly trending upwards throughout the last decade but the rapid adoption of this technology caused by the pandemic has made it one of the fastest rising types of software in any industry.

During the pandemic, many patients and medical professionals who would never have used telemedicine software for consultations were forced to use it. In the process, they found many benefits, including less overhead and stress for providers and added access and convenience for patients.

6. Appointment Scheduling Software

Much of the software in the healthcare industry above takes a process that used to be tedious, time-consuming, and/or labor-intensive and makes it much easier and more convenient with technology. No software on this list fits this bill better than appointment scheduling software. Click here for more information about available programs.

Just like it sounds, appointment scheduling software helps automate the scheduling process for medical facilities. This cuts down on the time human employees need to spend on the task thus making them more efficient and saving money. Patients also tend to find the process makes setting appointments easier and more convenient because it reduces wait time.

7. Medical Research Software

The last type of software on the list is behind-the-scenes software that is making a big impact on the field of medicine. Medical research software helps educate medical researchers, helps them share information and collaborate with others in the field, and manages specific processes within the research process such as clinical trials.

This type of software is making the medical research industry better at what they do and more collaborative. Software like this is one of the reasons researchers from pharmaceuticals, medicine, academia, and governments were able to work together and quickly produce a vaccine for COVID-19.

Conclusion

In 2024, the software is changing the world; the healthcare industry is no exception. Software is helping with records management, billing, prescriptions, virtual visits, and medical research. It can even be a medical device unto itself. The influence of software in the healthcare industry is already substantial and should only continue to grow in the coming years.

4 Types of Products That Require Temperature Monitoring

By

Дмитра Врачарић

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February 22, 2021

Sensitive products require temperature monitoring to ensure their integrity. Without proper environmental conditions, such products can spoil or be damaged rendering them useless for their purpose. This creates a loss of inventory and additional costs. It is vital to always have sensitive assets in controlled settings. In this article, we will look more closely at what temperature monitoring is and how it impacts four major industries where it is required.

What Does Temperature Monitoring Entail?

Temperature monitoring devices record and track air temperature values. These devices are typically installed in temperature-controlled settings such as cold rooms, freezer rooms, refrigerators, and freezers that store assets that can spoil or lose their effectiveness if not kept at a consistent temperature. Depending on the specific application, temperature monitoring devices are set to release an alert if temperature values fall outside of a pre-programmed and acceptable range. These devices also can be equipped with software that permits instant downloading of environmental data to a smartphone or computer for further analysis. Companies such as Dickson provide digital data loggers that, when coupled with environmental monitoring software, are generally considered the industry standard for temperature monitoring.

The Type of Equipment That Monitors Conditions

Typically, a data logger is the device of choice to monitor environmental conditions. These small electronic boxes contain instruments and probes that can measure air temperature, humidity, and pressure. A data logger contains an on-board processor that retains a certain amount of this data for retrieval at a later time. Also, these devices are designed to withstand temperature, humidity, and pressure extremes so that they can continue to accurately record data. They are reliable and can issue alerts when conditions are not compliant with preprogrammed ranges. In other words, a data logger is the eyes and ears of companies that use them in extreme conditions to monitor those conditions. When conditions become unsafe for the storage or transportation of these goods, a data logger can prove to be as valuable an asset as the materials it is protecting through regular monitoring.

Where Temperature Monitoring Is Used

Four major industries rely on consistent temperatures to keep sensitive products safe for use. They include the food, medical device, pharmaceutical, and aerospace industries. Each industry has specific needs related to temperature monitoring.

1. Food and Beverages

Food and beverages can be severely impacted by inconsistent temperatures. This includes products that require refrigeration and those that do not. For example, perishable food items must remain in cold storage to prevent the development of bacteria that can be harmful to consumers. The US Food and Drug Administration advises that food products that normally require cold storage can spoil in as little as two hours at room temperature. At the other end of the scale, food items such as chocolate will melt at extremely high temperatures. In addition, products that do not require refrigeration may still experience a reduction in quality and shelf-life if stored in warm to hot temperatures.

2. Medical Devices

Certain types of medical devices can be sensitive to temperature extremes. For example, some medical devices require storage in colder temperatures to maintain sterility. Other medical machines operate best when used in temperature-controlled settings. Examples include ultrasound equipment along with other diagnostic tools that require constant cooling to ensure optimal performance. MRI environments also require cooler temperatures to operate reliably. When these devices and electronics are compromised with temperature extremes, they do not function properly. Accuracy in hospital patient care and diagnosis is crucial, so it’s important that medical equipment always work properly—and that often means cooler temperatures are necessary.

3. Pharmaceuticals

To maintain drug safety, environmental controls are essential. They also ensure the quality and efficacy of the drugs in storage. Due to the sensitive nature of many prescriptions and vaccines, correct temperature values must be maintained while they are in storage or transport. Pharmaceuticals are not just reliant on safe temperature conditions, either. Many drugs and vaccines require storage that limits humidity changes, light exposure, and physical stress limitations. However, temperature and humidity are the two main factors that can damage drugs and vaccines if not monitored properly. For example, some vaccines and pharmaceuticals must be stored where temperatures are kept between 35F and 46F (2C to 8C).

4. Aviation and Aerospace

The aerospace industry deals with temperatures that are at a very far end of the scale compared to the other industries listed above. The components used in aerospace are manufactured and maintained under heavily-regulated guidelines. Temperature monitoring is an essential piece of the puzzle to ensure quality and the meeting of regulatory standards. The risks are too great should aerospace parts not meet these standards-equipment failure has enormous human as well as financial costs. Even small temperature or humidity fluctuations can hamper the construction of airplane parts by affecting the structure of metals being used. Even after the airplanes have been built, environmental conditions must be monitored. Without consistent temperature and humidity, some parts can break down resulting in malfunctions that could otherwise be avoided.

In Conclusion

Four major industries rely on the accuracy of environmental monitoring. Without such monitoring, sensitive assets can spoil or breakdown rendering them useless. In the food industry, bacterial growth is the main culprit that can be warded off with correct temperature storage. Medical devices require cooler temperatures to ensure that diagnostic equipment works properly and provides the data required for quality patient care. In pharmaceuticals, temperatures beyond acceptable limits can damage the effectiveness of certain drugs and vaccines, which all require storage in cooler settings. And the aviation industry uses higher temperatures for the manufacturing of plane parts, but extreme values can cause materials to break down and malfunction. Fortunately, there are tools available to keep temperatures in check. Data loggers help keep thousands of products safe to use.

Your Chicago Travel Bucket List

By

Дмитра Врачарић

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February 22, 2021

As the third-largest city in the nation and the most centrally located, Chicago is a great travel destination. Whether you visit for a weekend, a full week, or even two, there’s no way to do everything you might want to do.

To help you make the most of your time, we’ve compiled a list of the activities visitors absolutely must do during their visit. Here are 11 things for your Chicago visit bucket list:

1. Get a Different View of the City from Willis Tower

The Skydeck at the Willis Tower offers a unique view of the city. At 1,353 feet up, the Skydeck protrudes from the side of Willis Tower on the 103rd floor and is transparent on all sides. From there, you can see more than just the city, you can actually see land in four states if it’s a clear enough day.

2. Hang out in Millennium Park

If you’re looking for a laid back experience with tons of Instagram-worthy spots, you have to go to Millennium Park. With the Bean (Cloud Gate), Crown Fountain, Jay Pritzker Pavilion, Lurie Garden and the adjoining Maggie Daley Park you can snap the most iconic Chicago photos.

It’s free to hang out in the park, which includes many benches to sit on and grassy areas to spread out a blanket. You can easily spend the entire afternoon there.

3. See the Largest T. Rex Skeleton at the Field Museum

The Field Museum in Chicago is home to SUE, the T. Rex. This skeleton is the largest complete T. rex specimen ever found and is named after the woman who found it, Sue Hendrickson.

This exhibit is incredible, but the Field Museum has much more to offer. Other feature exhibits include the Grainger Hall of Gems, Apsáalooke Women and Warriors, and Inside Ancient Egypt.

4. Eat at the Legendary Billy Goat Tavern

The Billy Goat Tavern opened in 1934 as a no-frills burger joint. Tavern Owner William Sianis is said to be the one who placed the billy goat curse on the Chicago Cubs in 1945.

Today, the Billy Goat Tavern is a staple in Chicago. The menu at the original tavern is pretty limited. They do just a few things and they do them really well. If you want the true Billy Goat Tavern experience, order a double cheeseburger with a bag of chips (not fries, which aren’t offered at the original location).

5. Channel Your Inner Ferris Bueller at the Art Institute

The Art Institute of Chicago, famously featured in the classic movie Ferris Beuller’s Day Off, is one of the best museums in the United States. If you want to walk in the footsteps of Ferris and his friends, be sure to see A Sunday Afternoon on the Island of La Grande.

You can also see other classics including American Gothic by Grant Wood, The Bedroom by Vincent Van Gogh, and Water Lilies by Monet.

6. Catch the Crosstown Classic

With the Cubbies on the Northside of Chicago and the White Sox on the Southside, the rivalry can get pretty intense within the city. This rivalry is at its peak at the Crosstown Classic, the in-city series where the two teams face each other.

If you only ever attend one Chicago baseball game, make it one from this series of three games. Try to catch them while they’re at Wrigley Field, a National Historic Landmark with one of the last manual scoreboards left in the nation.

7. Eat Classic Chicago Foods at the Taste of Chicago

The Taste of Chicago is a five-day food festival that features all of the best foods in Chicago and highlights businesses that started right there in the city. It is the world’s largest food festival and every foodie’s dream.

With dozens of restaurants, pop up spots, and food trucks, there’s no way you’ll be able to eat everything that catches your eye… but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try.

8. Have a Drink on a Rooftop Bar

Rooftop bars offer some of the best views of the city. You can take a seat, relax, and sip your favorite drink while you look out at the stunning skyline or the glittering water. Whether you visit during the day or at night, you’re guaranteed a picture-perfect view.

Party Slate has a helpful list if you’re looking for rooftop bars in Chicago. Do some research beforehand to find the best place in your budget.

9. See the Latest Up-and-Comers in Comedy at Second City

Second City is a Chicago improv incubator that has been the launching point for some of our favorite Saturday Night Live cast members including (most recently) Chris Farley, Tina Fey, and Steve Carrell. It’s a major point of pride in Chicago.

This year, SNL is teaming up with Second City to offer scholarships for more diverse emerging comic talent. Be sure to swing by and see performers who may be the next big names in comedy.

10. Ride the Ferris Wheel at Navy Pier

The Navy Pier is the Coney Island of Chicago. There are tons of shops, restaurants, and attractions. One of the most popular attractions is the Ferris Wheel. Standing 200-feet tall, riders get an incredible view of the city and of Lake Michigan.

Stick around after dark to see it light up (you might even be able to catch the firework show).

11. Engage with Wildlife at the Aquarium and Zoo

Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium and free Lincoln Park Zoo are beloved attractions within the city. You may even remember seeing the viral story about the penguins at Shedd Aquarium taking tours while the facility was closed in early 2024.

When you visit the zoo and the aquarium, you get to engage with wildlife that you might otherwise never see. In some exhibits, you can even interact with them!

From art to food to culture to incredible views, you really have to pack a tight schedule if you want to experience all that Chicago has to offer. When you plan your visit, start with these absolute must-do experiences to ensure you have an incredible trip.

What’s all New in CoD Cold War Season 2

By

Billy Voss

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February 22, 2021

Call of Duty is one of the most popular first-person shooter games in the entire world. Ever since it came out, people were hooked to the stunning graphics (at that time), and the game quickly achieved numbers unlike any other before. CoD was played both on PC and on PlayStation 2, and as the business kept growing, new titles in the everlasting series continued to dominate the gaming scene.

As you’ve probably heard already, the E-sports scene is evolving and gaining traction, and even though most people doubted that CoD will ever get its own pro scene, here we are in 2024, and CoD’s pro scene is blooming like never before.

The latest call of duty game is Cold War, a chapter in the legendary Black Ops series known for the mind-blowing multiplayer gameplay. There are many new and cool things in this chapter that you need to know about, so if you’ve missed out due to being absent in the past few years, now’s the right time to catch up. Let’s take a look.

The latest zombie mod called “Outbreak”

Black Ops and zombies were two things that went together perfectly for a long time. In fact, the zombie mode on Black Ops was one of the most popular modes that gained the attention of millions of players. Well, guess what, it’s coming back.

Outbreak will be a phenomenal experience for those who enjoy playing on larger maps. This time the action takes place in the Ural Mountains and the mod itself will have multiple different areas, teleporters and a Dark Aether portal as well. Oh, and don’t forget vehicles, because they were already a huge part of Warzone and people got pretty used to them.

New maps with well-crafted environment and level design, guns and more

There are new maps, one set in a jungle called Apocalypse, and another called Miami Strike, the name being self-explanatory. The maps are really well crafted and by the looks of it, they are optimized as well, so you won’t have to worry about losing fights due to frustrating fps drops. Apocalypse is a 6v6 map, Mansion is a smaller one meant for 2v2 or 3v3 scenarios, and Miami is larger with max player count of twelve, which puts it at 6v6 as well.

But, that’s not all. We get new guns and other cool content as well.

The Fara 83 is a new assault rifle which is our personal favorite. But, we also get the new LC10 SMG which is great for close quarters combat, the crossbow for those who want to record some sick YouTube edits of their longshots, a ZRG 20mm Sniper Rifle and two melee weapons which are quite cool as well.

The best thing about the devs is that they release a blog post whenever they are up to something larger, such as a new season in this case, and on that blog you can easily note all changes and be prepared for when the update goes live.

We all know how difficult it is to adapt to a new update, especially if you weren’t playing the game for a long time before. In case you are struggling to improve or you can’t win any games on your own, that means you need the right teammates, or a cold war boosting. For more information feel free to click here.

Field upgrades for the zombie mode – Frenzied Guard

In a game mode such as outbreak, there’s nothing more fun than experiencing battles with zombies in new unexplored areas. In this case, the fight continues throughout the Ural Mountains. We get new types of enemies and some other neat features as well, such as field upgrades, player rewards, jump pads and a lot more. Out of all the previous zombie experiences, this one is the best mode for it in Call of Duty. There’s no doubt that a lot of players will download the game solely because of this gamemode.

As for the Frenzied Guard feature, you can now get a field upgrade that’s perfect for those types of players who want to hold down a place like an anchor, shooting everything in sight and feeling unstoppable. Here’s how to use it:

Activate frenzied guard and position yourself somewhere where your team will benefit from all the zombies aggroing on you. Make sure you have armor because during frenzied guard buff effect only your armor takes damage. Then simply start shooting everything in sight, and pray that you don’t run out of ammo. But, that’s not all.

There are some really neat upgrades that you can get through the collection of aethrium crystals. These upgrades include modifiers that can boost your abilities when activating the frenzied guard buff. One upgrade for example completely repairs your armor when you activate frenzied guard, and it increases the duration to up to fifteen seconds. Not only that, but it slows down enemies and helps you aim better because they can’t move out of sight quickly. This also helps your teammates as well.

New skill tiers through Aetherium Crystal Tapes

The more you play the more crystals you collect, and the better the upgrades become. We always loved the sense of progression in Call of Duty where you grind game after game for max level perks, cosmetics, badges and banners. It’s a cool concept really, it shows that your account stands out from all the others. But now we have perks and skill tiers that improve your performance in-game as well. For example, there are outbreak investigations that you can complete to earn crystals, and then use the crystals to improve field upgrades, get ammo mods and weapon classes.

Conclusion

Everybody is excited about the new CoD Cold War Season 2 because we get to experience some of the coolest concepts in Call of Duty after a long time. Don’t miss out on the updates because the more you know about the changes the better you’ll perform in-game. Hope to see you on the battlefield and thank you for reading.

Best Online Trading Brokers for Stocks 2024

By

Дмитра Врачарић

-

February 22, 2021

Online trading is nowadays one of the most popular activities for those looking to increase their wealth and make a quick profit.

While there is an innate risk, the potential of making a profit is a very tempting prospect for some, and the tools that brokers offer make it accessible for anyone with a computer and an internet connection.

But what is involved in getting into online trading? Apart from an education curve that will help make wiser investments and increase your potential of making good deals, there is the need for an online broker that is the intermediary between the trader and the stocks market.

Choosing an online broker shouldn’t be taken lightly since it’s the first step into success. Several aspects should be considered, and a good start would be checking out the review and comparing features and services different brokers offer.

Traders can rely on this great website, for example, to make sure the broker of their choice satisfies their needs and it’s up to their standards.

How to choose the best online broker?

The first step in choosing a new broker is to make sure they are registered with the appropriate regulatory bodies. These entities are in charge of overseeing the activity in the market and regulating their participants.

Their ultimate goal is to protect the traders from scams and fraud and make sure the brokers work in compliance with certain regulations.

Once your broker passes all the security checks, it’s time to consider other aspects that may make one broker better for you rather than another. For this to be possible, you need to have a clear picture of what you want from your broker and what do you need, what your level of expertise is, and what is your trading style.

What to consider when choosing a broker?

Another aspect to consider when making this decision is the commissions and fees the brokers ask for. Some may be higher, but their services more complete and reliable. Cheap doesn’t always mean better.

On the other hand, you also want to make sure you can deal with their asking initial deposit and withdrawal rules.

One consideration that is rather important for some traders, is the platform the broker offers and what features or research tools are there available. The complexity of the platform may be very different for a complete beginner. Making sure the broker of your choice satisfies your needs in terms of the online tools you need is a must.

Best Brokers for stocks 2024

Among the many options, there are for those looking for an online trading broker, we have selected some of the best out there to help you out!

TD Ameritrade. This broker is one of the biggest in the US and has an extensive reputation as one of the best for beginners. They offer a wide variety of resources and educational tools very useful for those with little experience buying and selling stocks.

They also have a great mobile app that has ranked among the best.

Interactive Brokers (IBKR) is one of the most appreciated brokers by professionals and expert traders. They offer a lot of different assets to deal with, as well as interesting services and research tools.

Fidelity. This broker has earned a good name thanks to the excellent execution they offer, which is better than any other broker in the US. They offer a good variety of tools that can suit all types of traders.

Tips and strategies for investing

One of the advantages of online trading is to simplify the investment activity and make this world more accessible. It must be remembered that you do not, however, become a millionaire in one day and that to start your business you need skills, as in everything. This should not be discouraging, the important thing is to get good training and use analysis tools. Regarding the latter, there are even apps on the market. We need to have financial skills and build them if we don’t already have them.

Apart from this, online trading strategies are less complex than one would expect, just apply them carefully and consistently. It is important to practice: as a gymnast performs an exercise to get to do it better and better, closer and closer to what the correct technique provides, the more we dedicate ourselves to a strategy and the more we refine our skill. Without a strategic system, it would be like gambling.

What you need to do is develop a long-term action plan that helps you organize the work. In general, it is necessary to determine the entry and exit points for the operations to be carried out. The exit point is the moment in which, in fact, exit, whether you are active or passive. To do big business you have to invest large sums of money but the minimum amount, around 50 euros, is a good start. As you enter the mechanism and master the tools, the bar is raised to earn huge sums. The most important strategy is patience.

Complete guide about starting stock investments, you can find at https://cryptostec.com/how-to-start-investing-in-stocks-a-beginners-guide/.

Obviously, everything must be related to one’s real possibilities and skills. Investments must be in line with your risk profile. Because we must never forget that investments are, on the one hand, a great business opportunity, but on the other hand they involve risks that you must be ready to take!