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The History of the Internet: From ARPANET to What Lies Ahead

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The internet these days isn’t just a luxury but an absolute necessity, with many countries around the world declaring it a utility. Well over 90 percent of people in developed countries use the internet on a daily basis, many of whom do it for work or school purposes with countless others using it as a form of receiving news or consuming entertainment. Simply put, it’s hard to imagine life without the internet these days.

There are plenty of things that a majority of the world uses today that we know the history of, including automobiles and airplanes. However, there aren’t too many people who are privy to the history of the internet and how it became a utility. Let’s take a look at that history today, which is truly a fascinating development that happened incredibly quickly.

Early Developments

By the time the 1950s came along, communication had been done almost exclusively through telephone, radio, or telegraph. Sure, there were computing systems, but there weren’t standard desktop computers like we see today. Still, the idea came along that the massive supercomputers could somehow be connected to one another. In the late 1950s, it seemed like a pipedream, but one that had been researched by professors around the globe.

Christopher Strachey was one of the godfathers of what would become the Internet as he filed a patent for the time-sharing of central processing units prior to his time at Oxford University. Throughout the 1960s, this idea was expanded upon to the point it became a priority for the United States military. With that, the next big development was made and changed computer communications forever.

The ARPANET Project

ARPANET was founded in 1969 thanks to massive funding and allowed resource sharing between computers across the United States as well as the United Kingdom and Norway. The first message ever sent on ARPANET between two computers happened between Menlo Park and Los Angeles, California. They were able to type the word “LOG” to each other before the system crashed, but it was a monumental message.

While ARPANET was obviously limited at first, the technology improved to the point where it became a reliable system for communication. By the end of the 1970s, there were more than 200 hosts on ARPANET. The 1980s saw more uses for the internet, including CSNET between universities as well as TCP and IP suites, opening the door for the internet to make its way into homes around the world.

Emergence of ISPs

In the middle of the 1980s, the first domain was established on the internet and the public started to gain access through NSFNET. While private internet service providers were non-existent by the end of the 1980s, that would change when The World became the first internet service provider in 1991.

This was the same year in which CERN developed HTML technology that’s still in use today and began the World Wide Web. At first, it seemed like a phase to some, but over the course of the next few years, access to the internet became easier and we saw the emergence of internet providers including AOL and CompuServe.

Search Engines and Social Media

The rest of the 1990s saw an explosion in public internet usage as many were able to do things that they could never do before including shopping online, sending instant messages, and much more. Sites like eBay and MSN became staples for households that had the internet, and things really kicked off when search engines made things much easier to find instead of simply typing the website’s name into a browser.

Google and Yahoo were in stiff competition during the early days of search engines, with Ask Jeeves, Lycos, and AltaVista not far behind. Google emerged as the clear winner in the war, becoming perhaps the most important website in internet history. During the 2000s, the internet saw the first foray into social media, and websites including Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter all dominated peoples’ time and attention.

Future of the Internet

The internet has seen a lot of changes over the years, and it seemed to all happen very fast. We went from being able to type one word to each other in the same state and calling it “revolutionary” to being able to play realistic video games in virtual reality with someone around the globe while typing as much as humanly possible. With that said, what will the internet look like in the next half-century or so?

Some have theorized that information will process so quickly on the internet in the future that typing won’t even be a necessity. Others have said that your brain will be able to connect to the internet through a microchip that can process all of your thoughts to help you access information at the speed of light. While nothing is certain, one thing is for sure, and it’s that the future will likely be startling for some.

Transitioning From Traditional To Smart Home Technologies

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There was a time in human history when we were all excited to have the ability to clap our hands twice to turn our lights off or on with the Clapper. While at the time is pretty cutting edge, it’s nowhere close to where we are today with the advent of smart homes. A smart home is when devices of your home are all connected and can be operated with your computer or cell phone with ease.

At first, smart home technology was wildly expensive and not accessible for most people, but times have changed quickly. Now, around half of the homes in the United States are classified as ‘smart homes’ with that number expected to reach two-thirds within just a few years. With the growing number of houses switching over to smart home technology, there are a lot of new people with questions about how to make the transition. Let’s take a look at how you can prepare your home for smart home technology.

Determine Your Needs

Not all houses are going to need every smart home capability imaginable. There are certain smart home devices that are more of a luxury than a money-saving necessity. If you’re someone who has a very small lawn that only needs a regular sprinkler running for a few minutes per week to stay green, you probably don’t need to invest in a massive smart irrigation system. Some things are more practical that can save energy and money throughout the year.

Smart thermostats have become one of the more popular pieces of smart home technology because they can save you hundreds (if not thousands) per year. When nobody’s in the home, the temperature will be set to the most energy efficient. You can control the thermostat from anywhere, so when you’re about to leave work and head home, you can kick on the air conditioner or furnace so that it’s more comfortable when you get home.

Find The Right Hub

One of the reasons that smart home technology has become so affordable is that there has been a lot of competition from some of the biggest tech companies in the world. The easiest, cheapest, and most efficient way of equipping your smart home is to have all of your devices be the same brand and connect them to the accompanying hub.

There are a few hubs that are hailed as the best in the business. In no particular order, Amazon Echo, Apple HomePod, Aeotec Smart Home, and Google Nest are all familiar names that come with high ratings. These hubs have a ton of compatible devices, and once you determine what you need, you can pick the one that has the highest-rated devices.

Don’t Go All Out To Start

There is a lot of temptation to grab every single device that’s available for smart homes when you decide to make the transition. However, try focusing on one thing at first so that you’re comfortable with the installation process and how to use these devices. If you begin with something like a security doorbell system or blinds/curtains, you’ll get the hang of how it all works.

Over the course of the next few weeks and months, you can start to add to your collection until your house is fully smart home integrated. Plus, if you start by adding just one device at a time, you can make sure that everything’s compatible. You don’t want to buy everything all at once only to have to return half of the items, figuring out which ones didn’t work out.

Stay On Top of Security

When we say that you should be at the forefront of security in your smart home, we don’t mean that you should be watching your home security cameras 24 hours per day. What we mean is that you should always be checking to see if your smart home is secured, switching up your passwords regularly, and always read the privacy policies before accepting anything.

There have been many instances of smart homes being hacked, including smart TVs being taken over, which can be a frightening experience. Make sure that your home’s Wi-Fi network is secure and use multi-factor authentication. Devices that are outdated are also more prone to attacks, so install any update as soon as possible to keep yourself away from risks. Many of us assume that our smart devices will take care of themselves but that’s not always the case.

The transition from traditional to smart homes should be a painless and exciting one, and it will only get cheaper as time goes on. As long as you’re easing yourself into things and staying on top of security, you’ll be enjoying your updated home more than ever before while also saving money in the process.

Using Mulch in Your Garden: Benefits and Application

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In the world of gardening, one often overlooked yet incredibly beneficial practice is the use of mulch. Mulching involves the application of organic or inorganic materials to the soil surface around plants, providing a multitude of benefits for your garden. Whether you’re a seasoned gardener or just starting out, understanding the advantages of mulching and how to apply it effectively can transform your gardening experience and yield impressive results.

From retaining moisture and suppressing weeds to improving soil health and regulating temperature, mulch plays a crucial role in creating a thriving garden environment.

By applying mulch to your garden beds, you can conserve water by reducing evaporation and maintaining soil moisture levels, resulting in healthier plants and less frequent irrigation. Additionally, mulch acts as a natural weed barrier, minimizing the competition for nutrients and reducing the need for herbicides.

What is mulch and how can it improve the over quality of your home garden? There are two standard types of mulch, organic and inorganic. Inorganic mulch is made up of a host of non-biodegradable products like rocks, gravel, plastic, and rubber. 

This style of mulch is typically used for preventing weed growth, insulating and protecting plant soil, and simply for aesthetic purposes. Organic mulch is typically made up of leaves, grass clippings, tree bark, and other plant material and compost. This type of mulch is used for mostly similar purposes as the inorganic variety. Though it provides far more nutrients, organic matter, and a more positive effect on the environment. 

Let’s talk more about the benefits of mulch as a whole. First, there’s insulation. Whether you live in a tough climate with often very high, or very low temperatures, or perhaps you’re experiencing bouts of extreme weather, mulch is a lifesaver when it comes to protecting plants from intense temperature changes. Surrounding the base of your plants and their soil with mulch helps regulate the temperature of the soil beneath the surface before too hot, or too cold of temperatures have the chance to wreak havoc. 

Speaking of extreme weather, mulch also comes in very handy during times of torrential downpours. Rainstorms can happen all throughout the summer months and happen very quickly. It’s important to be prepared and think ahead. Mulch can be applied above your plants’ soil and in surrounding areas as well, to prevent flooding of the soil, which can damage and even kill your plants. 

What about aesthetics? How can you make use of mulch in a way that emanates beauty and not just practicality? Mulch is a pretty important factor in keeping any garden healthy and protected. Of course, you want it to look good too. Quality organic mulch has a rich, deep, brown color to it and already does such a swell job at standing out against the vibrant greens, purples, pinks, reds, oranges, and yellows, of the many different flowers and produce in your garden. 

Proper and clean placement of the mulch will help add to the aesthetic and keep a tight, well-put-together look to your garden. Inorganic mulch serves its purpose as well. The gray, gravelly, and rustic look of this mulch lends itself so well to lining pathways, garden plots, and patio areas. It may be more beneficial as an aesthetic than organic mulch. In the end, really it’s all about your preferences and what look you’re trying to achieve. If you want a more natural-looking space, organic earth mulch is the way to go. If you want a more clean-cut look that pairs well with a multitude of outdoor products, inorganic will suit your needs. 

Those are the basics of mulch and the wonders it can do for our plants and surroundings. Hopefully, you’ve learned something about this often-overlooked garden essential and can apply your newfound knowledge to your own garden. 

Morocco On A Budget: 5 Essential Tips

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Morocco is one of those countries that doesn’t get talked about much on the global stage despite being highly populated and pulling in many tourists each year. Morocco is just within the top 40 countries in terms of population with around 37 million and is right at the top of most-visited African countries alongside Egypt with around 13 million tourists per year.

There are plenty of reasons to visit Morocco, with the country’s architecture and history being massive draws. Morocco also happens to be one of the cheaper major countries to visit, which is another reason why there are so many that flock to the country. While Morocco is already a great option for budget travelers, you can make it even cheaper. Here are five essential tips for visiting Morocco on a budget.

Flight Tips

There are plenty of international airports in Morocco, all of which have varying prices. Casablanca and Tangier are probably the first two that come to mind for international travelers, but those aren’t going to be the cheapest. Marrakesh is the cheapest airport in the country despite not being the busiest, bucking the trend for most countries. While Casablanca gets more than 10.3 million passengers per year compared to Marrakesh’s 6.4 million, the latter is much cheaper.

In terms of the cheapest time of year to fly into Morocco, going toward the end of the calendar year is going to be your best bet. November, on average, is the cheapest month of the year for flights to Morocco while December and January also boast low prices. You’ll want to avoid March, April, August, and September, as those months are typically much higher than average.

Sleep Spots

There are plenty of lodging options throughout Morocco and it depends on how tight your budget is. Cities like Marrakesh offer a lot of hostels, some of which can be as cheap as $5 per night. If you want a private room, it can end up costing around $15 per night, but at that point, you may be better off renting a hotel room. When using USD to account for hotel prices in Morocco, they’re going to be much cheaper than you expect.

Two and three-star hotels can be as cheap as $13 to $17 per night in Morocco. While they won’t be in the heart of Marrakesh, these hotels are still in tourist-centric parts of the country, especially if you focus on coastal cities like Essaouira. For the major cities, though, you can’t go wrong with a cheap hostel option that will allow you a safe spot to lay your head for the night.

Sharing Taxis

Morocco does offer a lot of public transportation options that are typically cheap, but many tourists have said that they can get too cramped and aren’t as reliable as they’d like them to be. With that in mind, there are taxi options, but taxis function differently in Morocco than they do in the United States. For starters, individual taxes don’t have fixed prices, so get ready to negotiate for the cheapest deal with your location already in mind.

If you don’t feel like haggling too much in a one-on-one situation, though, there are the options of grand taxis. These taxis tend to go longer distances and are incredibly cheap, especially if you aren’t bringing luggage with you. The only caveat with grand taxis, though, is that they won’t leave unless the taxi is filled (which is around six passengers). Your best bet is to set one up at the airport or a train station.

Eating in Morocco

One of the big reasons that people make their way to Morocco is to try out the local cuisine and for good reason. The good news for foodies is that dining out in Morocco is incredibly cheap. If you’re a fan of lamb and beef, you’re going to be in heaven throughout Morocco. You’ll be able to get full meals that include pizza and packed plates for about $5 from street vendors and even local restaurants.

While alcohol, on average, is going to be more expensive than it is in places like the United States or the United Kingdom, the dining options are a fraction of the cost. Even the most luxurious meals in Morocco will cost under $40. If you plan on staying for a week, you’re looking at only spending around $100 to $110 the entire time for cheaper food options while still eating well.

Saving on Attractions

The other big reason that people want to visit Morocco is because of the country’s rich history. Places like the Saadian Tombs, Bahia Palace, and Majorelle Garden are popular destinations, but they do cost money to visit. Make sure that you’re planning ahead and you can get tickets, with most of them costing only around $7, with the more expensive destinations being around $12.

Of course, there are plenty of cities throughout Morocco that offer plenty of natural beauty that you can explore for free. Backpacking through places like Erg Chebbi and Plage Sauvage are free to trek through and will provide a lifetime of memories for travelers.

5 Richest Women in the World

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When you look at the list of the richest people in the world, it tends to be male-dominated. In fact, the 10 richest people in the world are all men, but there are plenty of women who are still in the top 100. Out of those women, there are five that truly stand out as being the wealthiest, and here are their details.

Miriam Adelson

Born Miriam Farbstein on October 10, 1945, in Tel Aviv, Miriam Adelson grew up in the city that her parents fled to from Poland during the beginning of World War II and the Holocaust. Adelson became a doctor and married fellow doctor Ariel Ochshorn. After the couple divorced in 1980, she made her way to New York City where she continued her studies. It was at this time that she met Sheldon Adelson.

Sheldon Adelson was a Boston-born businessman who made most of his money in Las Vegas as he founded the Las Vegas Sands Corporation. He also owned the Las Vegas Review-Journal prior to his death in 2021. The couple had just celebrated 20 years of marriage at the time of his death, and she inherited the businesses that her husband owned. This launched her into fifth place of richest women in the world with a net worth of over $38 billion.

Julia Koch

Julia Koch was already doing well for herself long before she had begun a relationship with one of the richest men in the world. Her parents operated a clothing store in Arkansas and after she graduated from college, she moved to New York City where she worked in the fashion industry as both a model and a fashion designer. Born as Julia Flesher, she had rubbed elbows with higher-ups, including former First Lady Nancy Reagan.

In 1991, she met David Koch, and though the two didn’t get along that great in the first meeting, they ended up dating in the same year and the couple married in 1996. David had been the Vice President of Koch Industries, joining the family company in 1970. With a revenue of over $125 billion, Koch Industries is a massive conglomerate. David owned 42 percent of the business, and upon his passing in 2019, Julia Koch took his place in the business and amassed a net worth of over $46 billion.

MacKenzie Scott

MacKenzie Scott had wanted to be a writer while she was growing up and displayed her skills in high school so well that she was able to get accepted into the prestigious Princeton University. In 1992, Scott obtained her bachelor’s degree and, like the previous two women on the list, moved to New York City. It was there that she met Jeff Bezos, and the two worked in finance before moving to Seattle.

Scott was instrumental in starting Amazon alongside Bezos after the two got married in 1993 but was less of a figurehead as she wanted to raise a family and focus on writing during the mid-1990s. Scott reemerged in the public eye in 2019 when it was announced that she and Bezos had filed for divorce after 26 years of marriage. The divorce settlement instantly made her one of the richest people in the world with a net worth of over $50 billion.

Alice Walton

The top two richest women in the world were born into extremely wealthy families, with the first being Alice Walton, who was born in Newport, Arkansas on October 7, 1949. Walton is the only daughter of the late Sam and Helen Walton, the founders of Walmart. Along with brothers Rob, John, and Jim, Alice Walton inherited a massive fortune when her father passed away in April 1992.

During her career, Walton hasn’t been too involved in the operations of Walmart or Sam’s Club, but she has kept very busy. Walton founded her own investment company in 1988 that lasted for a decade before shuttering. She’s also been an avid art collector and has been involved in healthcare and plenty of philanthropy. With a net worth of over $60 billion, she’s the second-richest woman in the world.

Françoise Bettencourt Meyers

With a net worth of over $70 billion, Francoise Bettencourt Meyers takes the mantle of the world’s richest woman. Meyers is the only child of Liliane Bettencourt, who was the only child of Eugene Schueller. Schueller was the founder of L’Oreal, a personal care company that started in 1909 and now has assets of well over $40 billion. With the line of succession, Meyers became the richest woman in 2017 after Liliane Bettencourt’s passing.

The reason that the assets of L’Oreal are so much lower than Meyers’s net worth is that she also inherited a vast fortune from her family’s investments in the process. She still owns one-third of the company, and her net worth has only risen over the years to put her well ahead of any woman and nearly into the top 10 overall.

The 7 Different Types of Probiotics For Improved Gut Health

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There was a time not so long ago when gut health was something that almost nobody thought of. These days, however, we know that gut health is instrumental to our overall health, and as a result, have seen a massive increase in products that market their probiotic benefits. Probiotics can restore the microbiota in your gut, which allows your digestive system to function at a higher level and even improves your sleep while preventing serious issues.

While there are many different forms of probiotics, there are seven core probiotics that we should be looking for in our foods and supplements. Let’s take a look at each of those core probiotics, what they can do for you, and how you can find them.

Bacillus

The first probiotic is Bacillus, which can be found in many different environments including soil and water, but not all Bacillus are made the same. While a good portion of them are beneficial for the human body, some can be harmful. Either way, Bacillus is one of the building blocks of gut health. This probiotic was named by Christian Gottfried Ehrenberg in the 19th century due to its function.

Benefits: Improvement of the immune system and treatment of diarrhea and/or constipation.

Foods With Bacillus: Fermented soybean-based foods, kimchi, kishk, miso, yogurt, kefir

Bifidobacterium

This anaerobic bacteria is one of the more common ones that you’ll see in the digestive system as it helps to break down foods in your body. Without a healthy amount of bifidobacterium in your gut, your body won’t be able to break down carbs and fats as well, leading to potential weight gain and several digestive health issues.

Benefits: Improvement of the immune system and treatment of diarrhea and/or constipation as well as skin conditions like eczema.

Foods With Bifidobacterium: Fermented vegetables including sauerkraut and kimchi, sourdough bread, kefir, milk, yogurt

Enterococcus

Enterococcus is another one of those probiotics that can be great for your system, but not all of them are beneficial. Certain strains of Enterococcus can cause infections, which is dangerous for those who deal with auto-immune diseases. These probiotics are also the strongest fighters against antibiotics, which can make them problematic at times.

Benefits: Improvement of the immune system while regulating cell proliferation and increasing your body’s fat-burning capabilities.

Foods With Enterococcus: Fermented sausages and cheese, and a high number of vegetables and fruits.

Escherichia

While Escherichia might not be a familiar name, you’ve certainly heard of it. That’s because this is the official name of E. coli, a bacteria that has been associated with digestive tract infections which can cause discomfort in minor cases and death in its most severe and rare cases. However, your body does need an amount of Escherichia as certain strains are actually incredibly beneficial for gut health.

Benefits: Aids digestion while helping your body to absorb iron, thus preventing fatigue from deficiency while promoting growth in developing children.

Foods With Escherichia: Most ways of obtaining escherichia can be harmful, including undercooked meats and raw milk, so it’s best to obtain escherichia via supplements.

Lactobacillus

Not to be confused with standard Bacillus, Lactobacillus is instrumental in creating lactic acid for the body due to its fermentative abilities. Lactic acid is converted from sugars, and having the right amount is paramount for overall health, especially in women, as it plays a major role in reproductive health. As a result, Lactobacillus can help prevent infections away from the stomach, showing its versatility.

Benefits: Has a wide range of benefits which includes improved digestion and immune system to go along with a lowering of cholesterol and infections while boosting fat-burning capabilities.

Foods With Lactobacillus: Yogurt, Sauerkraut, kefir, kimchi, sourdough bread, tempeh

Saccharomyces

Also known more commonly as baker’s yeast, Saccharomyces is a fungus (whereas the rest of the probiotics listed are bacteria) that’s single-celled and primarily used in baking but is also a pillar of probiotics in the digestive system. The benefits of Saccharomyces are relatively new knowledge, which is why you see this fungus in supplements more frequently these days.

Benefits: Improvement of the immune system and treatment of diarrhea and/or constipation. Has been found to help with irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn’s disease, and ulcerative colitis while also treating high cholesterol and infection.

Foods With Saccharomyces: Fermented drinks including wine, beer, cider, rum, vodka, etc. 

Streptococcus

Streptococcus is another probiotic that has helpful strains while also carrying some pathogenic ones that can be harmful. It wasn’t until the 1980s that scientists realized that not all Streptococcus was harmful, which is why you see these beneficial strains in supplements more often thanks to the amazing benefits.

Benefits: Improvement of the immune system and treatment of diarrhea and/or constipation. Also has anti-inflammatory effects that can help in the prevention of certain forms of cancer.

Foods With Streptococcus: Milk, dairy products, lobster, ham, eggs, custard

Managing Migraines: Treatment Options and Coping Strategies

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Migraine headaches affect around 10 percent of the world’s population, with a majority of those people being in their 20s, 30s, or 40s. Women are also more prone to having migraine headaches, and it doesn’t seem that the number is getting any lower in the future. With that said, more people are trying to figure out how to manage their migraines as there still is no cure for this debilitating condition.

That doesn’t mean that there aren’t treatment options, though. While migraines can be some of the worst pain that people can experience, there are ways to alleviate the pain and practice coping strategies that will improve their quality of life. Let’s look at some of those options that you can use to help relieve and manage the pain of migraines.

Medications

While there is no cure for migraines, there are thankfully plenty of medications available to alleviate the symptoms of a migraine or even prevent them from happening as often. Some of the more common migraine medications include Triptan, Imitrex, Rizatriptan, and Zolmitriptan. Plenty of over-the-counter medications for migraine relief include acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and other NSAIDs.

Stronger prescription drugs like Imitrex and Maxalt work to plan the pain pathways in the brain, and can be taken in the form of pills or nasal sprays. Many of these drugs are taken at the first sight of symptoms, while others can be taken when symptoms are at their worst. Those who have had a migraine know that you never want to get to this point as it can be crippling, so having the right medication at the first sign is paramount.

Self Care

None of us want to have a migraine, but not all of us want to take prescription pills on a daily basis or have the ability to pay for them. Because of this, many look to more natural options, and there are plenty of things that you can do to reduce the risk of a migraine. The first thing that you can do is to adjust your diet, which means avoiding nitrates that are typically found in high-fat processed meats and alcohol.

A diet that’s high in lean meat (especially fish), vegetables, and fruit will be able to reduce or prevent a lot of migraine symptoms. Making sure to incorporate regular exercise is also important, as improved cardiovascular health is directly tied to the blood flow to your brain. Adding in more relaxing activities like yoga and meditation can also be extremely beneficial, and all of these options don’t require an expensive prescription.

Holistic Health

If you want a more holistic approach to reducing and preventing migraine symptoms, there are some options for you. There have been several major studies that have shown that acupuncture can play a big role in migraine sufferers. Dr. Albercht Molsberger conducted a study of over 4,000 patients with different acupunctural techniques. The results were positive, with Dr. Molsberger saying that “acupuncture is at least as effective as prophylactic drug therapy for migraine and it is safe, long-lasting, and cost-effective.”

Another major study found that migraine sufferers saw a 50 percent drop in headache frequency thanks to the help of acupuncture. Some of the other natural treatment options that have been reported to be beneficial include essential oils like peppermint oil, ginger to reduce migraine-related nausea, and even acupressure (a non-invasive form of acupuncture using only your fingers).

Therapy

One thing that you may have heard of more in recent years than in the past is cognitive behavioral therapy, or CBT, for short. CBT has been found to be useful for a lot of mental ailments including ADHD, depression, and addiction (including eating disorders and substance abuse), but it can also be useful in the treatment of migraines. We already mentioned that relaxing activities like yoga and meditation can help, and CBT is another way of relaxing.

Dr. Elizabeth Seng of the American Headache Society has seen just what CBT can do for migraine sufferers. “We saw large changes in headache-related disability over the course of eight weeks,” she said. “This is because we normally through about headache-related disability as something that happens because people have attacks. If you reduce the attacks, you’ll reduce the disability.”

Support

Because of how crippling they can be, not everyone can have empathy for those who suffer from migraines. With around 90 percent of the world not having to go through that type of pain, finding someone who shares the same experience can be difficult. This means that there’s a feeling of having to go through this pain alone, but there are plenty of resources available, and migraine support groups exist.

If you live in a more urban area, there’s a good chance that you’ll be able to find an in-person support group where you finally have someone to speak to about your symptoms and experiences. For those in more rural areas, there are plenty of online groups including CHAMP, Migraine Again, and the Alliance for Headache Disorders Advocacy.

The Best Annual Flowers for a Colorful Garden

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Creating a vibrant and visually appealing garden is a dream for many gardening enthusiasts, and one of the best ways to achieve an array of colors and beauty is by planting annual flowers in your garden. While perennial plants return every year, annual flowers last for one season, but the amazing colors they produce after blooming are well worth the effort.

Whether your garden is on a small balcony or a massive backyard, there are certain annual flowers that are incredibly versatile and can transform your garden into a naturally beautiful sight. Let’s take a look at some of those annual flowers that you should be thinking about first when making a colorful garden.

Pansy 

If your garden needs a pop of color, the pansy is the way to go. These colorful flowers add a lot of personality to any drab garden. They come in a variety of different colors, purple, pink, orange, yellow, blue, and red. Much of their allure is due to the unique splotches of multiple colors found on each flower, like a sort of flowery fingerprint making each one stand out from one another. 

Dahlia

The bushy and bright pom-pom head of the dahlia flower stands out amongst the rest. They grow in a variety of different sizes and colors, such as lavender, white, peach, red, orange, pink, and yellow. They bloom in mid-summer and will stick around until the first hardcore frost of the colder season. 

Calibrachoa

These tiny and abundant flowers are usually seen hanging from planters on a sunny porch. They have a wonderful homestyle look to them and their vibrant yellow, red, and purple, hues add beautiful pops of color to accent any home. They thrive in full sun and need to be placed in planters with exceptional drainage. They’ll bloom all summer, until the first frost of fall. 

Sunflower  

Sunflowers are a total summertime classic. Their incredible height, large flower heads, and bright yellow petals just scream summer. Sunflowers take about 8-12 weeks to bloom, starting in midsummer until as late as October. The large flat heads of the sunflower make it the perfect landing spot for all sorts of pollinators. 

Fuchsia 

Fuchsia plants, named after 16th-century botanist Leonard Fuchs, possess a gorgeous, well, fuchsia color. The deep reddish-purple hue of the fuchsia plant’s flowers is a sight to see. They thrive in moist, cool, climates that stay below 85 F° during the day. The delicate dangling of the flowers means they require wind protection as well. 

Lobelia

These tiny and delicate bunches of flowers pack a calming colorful punch. These five-petaled beauties are low to the ground in bunches, spreading color as far as the eye can see. They’re known to be deep purple, blue, red, and white. They’re perfect for any open space that lacks personality and needs a splash of color. 

Cosmos 

These bright-colored flowers are reminiscent of daisies and are actually within the same family as the sunflower. Which explains why they can grow to be a whopping 6 feet tall. Their wide-open heads and cute nectar-filled centers not only show off their amazing beauty, but they’re also the perfect chill spot for pollinators. Cosmos come in a variety of bright and refreshing colors such as pink, red, orange, yellow, white, and maroon. 

Marigold 

Marigolds are known for their place upon ofrendas everywhere during the Day of the Dead ceremonies derived from a Mexican heritage. The wonderful scent and bright orange/yellow color are said to lure spirits back on that special day. They make for a bright and meaningful addition to any garden. Even better, they’re edible and can be used in a variety of savory and sweet recipes. 

5 Simple Swaps for Sustainable Living: Embracing an Eco-Friendly Lifestyle

Posted on by scatty

With each passing year, more and more people are becoming climate-conscious. In fact, more than 80 percent of people have said that they have made purchasing decisions based on sustainability, whether it be something major like a vehicle or something minor like paper over plastic bags. Around one-third of people in the United States have said that climate change is their top concern for activism, with many of those people looking for ways to reduce their carbon footprint.

That means that many of us are looking to make some simple swaps that won’t cost an arm and a leg while also helping the environment. Thankfully, there are plenty of these swaps available. Let’s take a look at five of the most simple ones you can make when embracing an eco-friendly lifestyle.

Refillable Water Bottle

If you work in an office, you’ve probably noticed a lot of people who bring their own massive water bottles or jugs and refill them throughout the day. This is a much more eco-friendly way of consuming water than the alternative of grabbing a new plastic bottle every time you want to grab a drink of water. It’s certainly worth spending good money on, too, as a good water bottle will last for years.

Well over 80 percent of water bottles in the United States alone end up making their way into garbage bags or are littered instead of recycled. That’s over 35 billion empty water bottles each year that get thrown out. If everyone in the country swapped to reusable water bottles instead, it would reduce the amount of carbon dioxide produced from plastic bottles by more than 2 million tons.

Swapping Toilet Paper

Everybody uses the bathroom, and people go through a lot of toilet paper on a daily and yearly basis. With that said, standard toilet paper produces more than 40 million tons of waste annually, and that number continues to climb. One way that you can help combat that trend is by using more eco-friendly toilet paper, with new options popping up left and right. Most of these are made from bamboo, which produces much less waste.

Bamboo, compared to the yellow pines and Douglas firs that are typically used for toilet paper, is much more biodegradable while also being durable enough to be used as toilet paper. While bamboo toilet paper is more expensive, it’s one of the easiest swaps that you can make to help the environment. While it might take some getting used to, you’ll notice how much easier that bamboo toilet paper breaks down in water.

Use Bar Soap

We’ll keep things in the bathroom and talk about how much better it is for the environment to use bar soap instead of liquid soap. There are several reasons why bar soap is better for the environment, with the most obvious being the packaging. With bar soap, you’ll likely get an easily recyclable small box that the soap comes in compared to the large plastic container used for liquid soap.

Bar soap also uses much less water than liquid soap while lasting, on average, several times longer than liquid soap. The packaging alone for liquid soap is 20 times that of bar soap, and people tend to not be conscious when it comes to liquid soap use. When using bar soap, you probably just use what you need and set the soap back, whereas with liquid soap you probably use several pumps when you only need one. 

Driving Less

Fossil fuels are one of the biggest contributors to climate change, and having billions of cars around the world is certainly a big reason for that. This has become public knowledge, and many people are wondering how they can drive less. While switching to an electric vehicle would be ideal, that’s not exactly a simple swap due to the cost of these vehicles.

Thankfully, there are plenty of other ways in which you can drive less and help reduce your carbon footprint. If you live within a city, taking a bicycle or walking when it’s nice out can cut down on your fuel costs and emissions greatly. On those days when the weather isn’t so great, taking a bus or train (again, depending on the city) will also improve fuel usage.

Glass Storage Instead of Plastic

There was a time when plastic containers were all the rage because it was a new concept and offered a lot of convenience for the kitchen. However, over the years, we’ve learned just how harmful those containers can be. Not only do they produce a lot of waste, but they also contain microplastics that can be harmful to both your health and the environment. 

Because of this, more people are switching to glass containers for the kitchen. While they could be much more of an immediate hazard if dropped compared to plastic, they’re much better for the environment and are far more durable. They’re easier to clean, and even more aesthetically pleasing than plastic, so there really is no losing (as long as you aren’t clumsy).

The Growing Field of Cybersecurity: Opportunities and Challenges for Professionals

Posted on by scatty

Cybersecurity is one of the biggest branches of law enforcement these days despite the fact that it was almost non-existent all the way up until the 1990s. Before then, most of the computers that were connected via the internet were between colleges, and there wasn’t a lot of personal information such as bank accounts and credit card info. Now, e-commerce has pretty much everyone’s information online, making people a target to hackers and viruses on a daily basis.

As such, cybersecurity has become increasingly important over the years, which has saved a lot of people from disaster. There have also been a lot of challenges faced by those in the cybersecurity field. Let’s take a look at the field as a whole and some of the challenges that come along with it, as well as the opportunities for professionals.

Opportunity: Security Architects

There is a growing need for security architects in today’s digital world, as this position is for someone who is able to identify not only existing threats but anything that could potentially be an issue. Think of a security architect as sort of a meteorologist for cybersecurity in the fact that they have to think ahead and that potential hackers are like forming storm cells. It’s always best to be proactive rather than reactive in cybersecurity.

Challenge: Ever-Changing World

Perhaps the biggest challenge that cybersecurity professionals face on a daily basis is just how much it changes on a daily basis. Every day you wake up, there’s a potential new exploit that’s being created and requires professionals to adjust how they prevent them from being implemented. It can be an exhausting task, and hackers know that. They try to catch professionals napping for just a few moments when attacking, so it’s a round-the-clock job.

Opportunity: Cryptographers

Cryptography is not a new profession, but it’s one that has gotten a lot more attention in recent years. That’s because cryptography isn’t used for just coded information during wartime anymore. These days, cryptographers are important for e-commerce, including cryptocurrency and chip-based debit and credit cards. Cryptographers are also hard at work to make sure that information online is safe, using advanced algorithms so that you can send and receive encrypted information online.

Challenge: Human Error

You could take a hundred courses in cybersecurity and feel like you’ve learned everything that you need to know, but that doesn’t mean that everything will go perfectly. We already mentioned that cybersecurity is changing on a daily basis, and that means that there’s a higher chance of human error. Of course, artificial intelligence is helping to bolster security, but as we’ve seen thus far, there is still a lot of error from AI that needs to be ironed out.

Opportunity: Security Consultants

The job of a cybersecurity consultant isn’t too much different than a cybersecurity architect, but there are a few minor differences. A consultant will meet with an end customer to determine what type of services that they want whereas an architect typically already works with a company as the head of cybersecurity. Consultants will then put plans into place to make sure that the business’s cybersecurity is up to par, and it’s a field that has been growing for years.

Challenge: Insider Threats

In the same way that even one of the most trusted employees could be guilty of insider trading, insider cybersecurity threats also exist. Because some employees already have access to the information thanks to being trusted with passwords, they could end up taking advantage of that trust and pulling private information for their own nefarious personal use.

Opportunity: White-Hat Hackers

White-hat hacking, or ethical hacking depending on who you ask, is a very specific field that has seen a massive increase in demand. Essentially, these are people who are working for a company and attempting to hack the system to show consultants and architects any weak spots that might be present. As a white-hat hacker, you’re entrusted to not actually use the private information that’s found, but rather let cybersecurity professionals know how to fix it.

Challenge: The Cloud

Cloud computing has been a blessing for a lot of large businesses as it’s able to store data for much cheaper without having to take up space on servers. However, cloud computing has a different structure and is privy to a lot of potential invasions. There’s a special set of skills you have to have in order to prevent cloud computing attacks, and it will only become more common as the years go on.

Opportunity: Artificial Intelligence

There’s a growing demand for artificial intelligence in all fields, and cybersecurity is no exception. This doesn’t mean that cybersecurity professionals are being replaced, thankfully, but rather are being given a tool that ill help them fight hackers easier.

Challenge: Attacks From All Angles

As we mentioned earlier, hackers will attempt to find any exploits at any time of the day. They may also come from any part of the world. Having attacks coming in from all parts of the globe means that there’s a growing list of people who are trying to get into your system, and it can be a daunting task.