Importance of Entertainment to the society

We live in an entertainment culture. The most obvious indication of that is that much of what people care about is entertainment: Lady Gaga, Big Brothers all over the world, American Idol, etc. An obvious question is whether this is a good thing or a bad thing, and usually I'm reluctant to try and answer that question. Sure, it's easy to make fun of fans and celebrities and people riveted to their televisions watching obese people exercising and getting weighed, but who says people have to engage in serious activities all the time? If we look at what most people have been doing most of the time throughout human history, it's probably not discussing moral philosophy and inventing calculus. And part of the reason for that is that people need rest and recovery time and enjoyable activities: without some sort of stress relief we would self-destruct. Yet there are some serious questions we should ask about people's engagement with entertainment. One of them concerns those who seem to get so deeply immersed in entertainment that they begin to neglect the possibilities and responsibilities of the rest of their lives. Whether or not we want to use the word "addiction" to cover this sort of possibility, the results of an overuse of entertainment can be much the same as an overuse of a drug: A person can become so obsessed with a form of entertainment (such as an online game) that it begins to destroy his or her life.And that leads us back to the question of whether an entertainment culture is a good thing or a bad thing.

 Recently Anthropologist Jeff Snodgrass and his colleagues have published research  that is intended to answer this question in one specific context, that of the online role-playing game, World of Warcraft (WoW). As anyone who has played these games knows, they can be extremely absorbing. Players often report that they lose track of time, even of their everyday surroundings and identities and feel like they become the characters they portray in the game. such experiences occur in many different forms of entertainment, from reading a romance novel to watching an exciting movie.Snodgrass leads a team of researchers who are themselves long-term WoW players. They have interviewed many other players and have posted online surveys that have been completed by hundreds of WoW enthusiasts. The research team has discovered a complex web of relationships that help us to get a handle on the "good or bad" question. But if we simplify it all down to a bottom line, the answer is that becoming deeply immersed in WoW can be both and good thing and a bad thing. WoW-along with many other forms of entertainment-can be an effective form of stress relief, for it allows the player to so completely forget real world problems and thus relax for awhile. But precisely because the experience can be so relaxing and pleasurable, some players-by their own admission-overuse it. One of the valuable results of this research is that maybe it can help us put an end to the debate over whether entertainment is good or bad, and get down to the more interesting question of exactly what factors produce positive and negative mental health outcomes for entertainment users.


till next next..

What you shouldn't do as blogger

Hello there everyone, most of us want to be known as good bloggers but we are not willing to sweat it out to earn the title honestly and through sheer hard-work and determinations. Most would rather go around the internet looking for materials which they copy down and then come paste them straight into their blogs in precedence that it is their own and that's it, but that is plagiarism of highest order and is punishable by law. It is also wrong morally, another thing is that; most of the materials have already been read from the sites/books where you stole them, so it is of out-most importance for one to acknowledge the original authors of the piece of information/s that you shall you in your blog. It is also advisable to publish materials that are of relevance to the title of your blog, you can't title your blog "Domestic animals" then be talking about Hiphop music, that is very confusing and pretty much unacceptable. If your blog will be about materials that are deemed to be of explicit nature, it is your duty as a blogger to send out a warning message on your blog and tell the users that they may/will encounter such and such information. thank  you very much for reading my blog

Benefits of Social media to the Individuals

The Benefits of Social Media

The term "Social Media" is a relatively new term that has impacted virtually every realm of our society. The benefits of social media are vast with an array of beneficial factors for both individuals and society. While some are blatantly obvious, others have a significant influence and are worthy of consideration.

In evaluating the benefits, the most apparent is the ease in which people can keep in touch. Most networks such as Facebook and Twitter are automated to allow the simple entry of an e-mail address to give access to the users entire contact list. Once accessed, the system can send out an invitation for anyone in your contact list to join. Multiply that times the number of friends a person may have times the recipients friends and it's easy to see how the snowball effect quickly becomes a maximized, expanding force. It plays on the friend-of-a-friend concept and capitalizes on the each one - bring one idea since anyone who joins is encouraged to both invite others and to introduce their friends to other online friends.

The result of the social media phenomena is a massive cross polarization of people, cultures and interests. It is an interesting blend that can ignite a vivid display of conversation and thought processes. It expands our world as we know it. No longer are we encompassed by our limited boundaries and geographic regions. It allows us to effortlessly talk to someone located across the globe without limitations.

The societal benefits of the social media phenomenon are vast. The social networks are a wellspring of information; it can usher in trends and be the catalyst that explodes uncensored, public opinion. It is here, that the social media’s influence is the most apparent. Information travels rapidly across the network and can be disseminated with ease. Public opinion can be formulated, altered quickly and transmitted to the masses.

Also noted are the benefits in the business community. It allows businesses to have a window into the thought processes of their customers. This is Information that previously businesses had to pay for and now, it can be garnered by simply posting a question on their page and waiting for the responses to flood in. This eliminates the need for companies to pay large sums for outdated mailing lists and directories. A huge benefit of social media is that companies can engage their customers and employ successful strategies to quickly get the word out about their products, services or simply, increase their customer base, One way businesses can do this is by presenting a "free offer" or a contest and require that the entrants provide their e-mail, address, phone number or any other marketing data the company wishes to compile. This in essence cost little, but produces significant results. Simply put, the benefits of social media to the business community are tremendous. It's opened up major information highways that are a direct portal to the hearts and minds of their customers.

Another advantage that was discovered when considering the benefits of social media was found in the law enforcement community. In criminal instances like child abduction cases, kidnapping, robberies or any case where law enforcement needs the public assistance, a mass, viral transmission can aid law enforcement and provide a rapid, safe resolve of a situation.

The fact is, society benefits greatly with social media networks and we are just now beginning to realize the multitude of advantages these networks offer.

Mix business with pleasure

Hello there everyone, There is an old saying that goes like "Don't mix business with pleasure", well I'm not saying the people who came up with that term were/are stupid but i would just like to stress out to all my readers that one can do business and pleasure at the same time. Now some of you might be wondering how is that possible, but don't worry I just have the right formulation for you all.
Below are some tips on how to:  Keep up appearances

Whatever your business is — I don't care if it's selling tires or airplanes — you can't be a shut-in. Most people don't want to go to a company party, but that's because they don't think of it as a family. I know plenty of guys that don't care to attend family reunions either, but those that don't go are remembered for not being there. Keeping up appearances applies to work events, and especially to family events, because that's all you've got to fall back on in this world. show up, you show your face, you buy a round of drinks. Half of business and family is putting in the right time outside of work.  

Check the schedule

Every day is a big day if you're trying to make money. But money doesn't always come to those who work hardest. There are guys who will work into the night even when tomorrow is a slow day. For whatever reason, they can't relax (or they just don't want to go home). If it's a slow week and there's nothing you can do about it, don't let it turn into a 60-hour drain. The guys who can't stop usually end up working just as many years as the slackers do. Constant work makes him an alien to the outside world and sooner or later, he becomes socially awkward.    Acting according to your settings is another way of mixing business with pleasure...

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Steps to protect yourself from Hackers

Good day all, as I promised in my previous post I'm going to provide y'all with steps to protect yourselves from Scams, Hackers and identity thefts, not only online but in real world as weell. Now being the man of my words here are some steps...

Protect yourself from fraud

Although fraud comes in many forms, there are some simple steps you can take to protect yourself from the crime.

1. Do not give any personal information (name, address, bank details, email or phone number) to organisations or people before verifying their credentials. 


2. Many frauds start with a phishing email. Remember that banks and financial institutions will not send you an email asking you to click on a link and confirm your bank details. Do not trust such emails, even if they look genuine. You can always call your bank using the phone number on a genuine piece of correspondence, website (typed directly into the address bar) or the phone book to check if you’re not sure.


3. Destroy and preferably shred receipts with your card details on and post with your name and address on. Identity fraudsters don’t need much information in order to be able to clone your identity.
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4. Make sure your computer has up-to-date anti-virus software and a firewall installed. Ensure your browser is set to the highest level of security notification and monitoring to prevent malware issues and computer crimes.


5. Sign-up to Verified by Visa or MasterCard Secure Code whenever you are given the option while shopping online. This involves you registering a password with your card company and adds an additional layer of security to online transactions with signed-up retailers.


6. If you receive bills, invoices or receipts for things you haven’t bought, or financial institutions you don’t normally deal with contact you about outstanding debts, take action. Your identity may have been stolen.


7. You should regularly get a copy of your credit file and check it for entries you don’t recognise. Callcredit, Equifax and Experian can all provide your credit file. An identity protection service such as ProtectMyID monitors your Experian credit report and alerts you by email or SMS to potential fraudulent activity. If it's fraud, a dedicated caseworker will help you resolve everything.


8. Be extremely wary of post, phone calls or emails offering you business deals out of the blue. If an offer seems too good to be true, it probably is. Always question it.
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9. If you have been a victim of fraud, be aware of fraud recovery fraud. This is when fraudsters pretend to be a lawyer or a law enforcement officer and tell you they can help you recover the money you’ve already lost.