4 Reasons You Should Be Eating Carbs

August 27, 2021

There has been a debate on whether or not carbohydrates are healthy or not. Some say that carbs “make you fat,” others think that carbs are “a good fit in a healthy diet.” So, whichever opinion you defend, we all know that carbohydrates do have a reason to be in our daily food.

Has your fitness instructor recommended you use more or fewer carbs? To clear this confusion, let’s state four main reasons carbohydrates still make an essential piece of human nutrition.

1. Carbs help prevent weight gain

Even though this fact depends on the individual and how their body functions, there are cases where carbs can boost weight loss. Almost every year, a new dietary trend suggests high-carb, low-protein, or vice versa. It’s all about what your body needs.

So, how can you find out what to fuel into your body? One of the most popular ways is to follow a specific glycemic index chart. Since it shows how quickly a carbohydrate-containing food raises your blood-sugar levels, this is the perfect guide to understand your body and its needs. For example, fruits and vegetables are low-glycemic, while the same index for sugar is 100.

2. Carbs boost your brain

It works simply because your brain needs glucose to function well and be healthy. If it lacks the ingredient, you might feel a loss of memory, brain fog, zoning outs, etc.

Even if you intend to use a small number of carbohydrates, make sure you include some in your daily diet. Otherwise, your brain will start to dysfunction slowly. Most nutritionists run their social media channels or use blog writing to teach how carbs are great friends for your brain.

3. Carbs help you sleep better

Good sleep is essential for the human body, mind, and overall health. Carbs are great for solving issues of bad sleeping habits, inefficient sleep periods, etc.

So, how does it work exactly? First, carbohydrates increase the insulin levels of your body. As a result, this process increases tryptophan and boosts serotonin production. And, here you have it, a productive and healthy sleep pattern.

If you still consider carbs to “not work,” or if carbs don’t help you lose weight, you can try a simple alternative like milk. It can help induce tryptophan and healthily boost your sleep pattern as well.

4. Carbs keep you energetic and happy

Well, that’s two things at the same time!

It’s no secret that carbs are the body’s most significant energy source. Carbohydrates metabolize glucose which we need for breathing, walking, and doing other physical activities in general. So, even though protein and fat metabolism work well, carbs are still the primary key to your energy.

There are carbs in foods like potatoes, beans, spaghetti, corn, etc. Whatever your diet is, make sure you include at least one ingredient that has carbs in it. Professional fitness trainers can often promote this ingredient on different marketing channels to raise awareness.

How do carbs make me happier? Carbohydrates can boost the production of serotonin in the human body. And, we all know what it does in its turn. So, add carbs like fruits, veggies, and whole grains to your diet if you want to feel less stressed and more satisfied with your daily life. But, in the meantime, remember that processed carbs are not very good for your overall health.

Conclusion

Carbohydrates are a great addition to your daily diet if you want to balance your weight, gain more energy, and improve overall health. Artificial carbs can harm our bodies, but not all carbs are the same. If you need more guidance, you can consult with a professional nutritionist to help choose the carbs that are proper for your body.

Go to top

The Introduction to Marketing Attribution

August 27, 2021

Marketing attribution interests those who are somehow involved in the sphere of sales. In this article, we are about to cover its definition, significance, and reveal basic details that should be taken into account.

What is attribution?

Putting it simply, the term means the analysis of what marketing methods promote sales. Today, there are several widespread attribution models such as multi-touch attribution, time decay, and others. The result of the models mentioned is a better understanding of how to change the sales campaigns and adapt them to suit the customers in the best way possible.

Besides, it helps to keep track of the effectiveness of the marketing campaigns which is a vital step towards successful sales in general.

There are certain advantages of marketing attribution such as:

It allows to reveal the consumers’ needs and real demands;
Optimization of costs for the marketers;
Better communication: due to using the tool, the users will react to what is addressed to them more eagerly.

Let us switch to the existing models of marketing attribution and see what they are all about.

Kinds of marketing attribution

First of all, there is a single-touch attribution. It is considered to be the most typical in marketing automation systems and CRM. The methods inside it include first and last touch, opportunity creation, lead creation.

The next type to mention is multi-touch attribution. This one can be characterized as the most effective one to determine user activity considering the touchpoints that become crucial on the way to purchase. The most widespread models here are as follows: even-weight, position-based, and time decay.

Switching to CTV attribution

CTV attribution is another curious stuff to look at. This kind of marketing attribution is linked to getting accurate measurements based on SDK integrations, tracking pixels. Moreover, it will be clear what customers’ behavior became the reason for conversion.

Here, you can look at the obvious advantages of it:

Custom target optimization that will result in a higher effectiveness of the advert companies being planned;
Getting clearer ideas regarding TV commercial performance (effectiveness and frequency);
Dealing with the new clients (attracting those who can be potentially interested);
Expanded data on TV consumption in all the aspects imaginable;
Choosing the partners with the best KPI and adequate pricing.

CTV attribution: getting an idea about workflow, soft, and tools

In short, there is a step of target identification and sending the list to inventory sources. Then, a major thing to mention is the study made as a result of ads data analysis. The quality of it is thoroughly controlled before the marketer will get it.

The tools of CTV attribution vary greatly. Applying a specific attribution platform, the marketer has the opportunity to track the whole activity of the user. Here we mean how much it was possible to earn from the particular user, at which point he decided to proceed to the subscription, and so on.

Attribution software is normally very easy to deal with. And here is the reason for this: nice pre-development. Pretty much, all that is needed to be done is the subscription to a certain model. Then, the marketer will get full access to the analytical reports (the integration with SDK, and stating events and tags have to be performed beforehand).

CTV attribution cannot be considered to be perfect today. However, it goes through very significant improvements constantly. Getting to know about the pros and cons of the ad campaigns, and the customers’ behavior has become a really necessary thing. That is why marketing attribution significance should not be underestimated nowadays and taken into account.

Go to top

Crypto is Booming: Why You Should or Shouldn’t Invest?

August 27, 2021

Today, we hear about cryptocurrency every day. Blockchain technology has surprised us with its bold appearance on the financial stage and doesn’t seem to stop. Only a decade ago, the idea of digital money made through cryptography technology would seem laughable or, at least, too much future-oriented.

But these days, holding a part of your assets as digital currency is the new norm. This might be true not for everybody but mainly for those running big businesses which require contemporary solutions.

Many traditional payment platforms are now seeking to expand the old fiat currency. For instance, in October last year, PayPal started to accept cryptocurrency, and now clients can make purchases with digital coins or store them there. This is clear and logical because such large platforms certainly benefit from such decisions.

And what about you? Is cryptocurrency fit for you? Would it be profitable to buy and trade some?

This short read will try to help you get all the answers. Maybe, not easy or flattering answers but real ones.

3 Things to Know Before Putting Your Money Into Digital Coins

Any investment requires a well-shaped decision: thinking about the investment in perspective, weighing all the pros and cons, making decisions about the comfortable size of this investment. All in all, this sphere isn’t for the weak. You need to have a solid reason and purpose for investing and a clear vision of what you will do in case of failure.

So, here we have gathered a few pieces of advice to think about before you make any move to invest your money into cryptocurrency.

1. Don’t pool more than you can afford

People risk their assets for different reasons when they choose to invest them in crypto thoughtlessly. Sometimes, it is the fear of missing out, or FOMO, as you might know, it. Sometimes it is the risky and impulsive nature of their character. For you to make a wise decision, think of an exact sum of money you can risk right now and forgive yourself if it doesn’t turn out to be a success.

Risk is what is present in every crypto exchange, and you must know it. Still, investing in Bitcoin is considered more reliable as this coin has been with us for a long time already and has fewer chances to disappear than newer digital coins.

2. Find an official place to trade

You might be an expert in trading and have all the necessary experience, but this becomes nothing if you choose the wrong tools. In finance, many charlatan services are existing alongside reliable ones. They can look great and promise you mountains of digital gold, but they take your investments and freeze up when it comes to action.

That is why search for excellent and proven official places to trade cryptocurrency. Most of them already have a reputation and value it too much to get into organizing frauds. Coinbase, Kraken, or Binance would be excellent to start trading. They run officially and comply with the law; however, don’t forget to check if your country of residence allows trading Bitcoin there. Otherwise, you may be fined or taxed more than usual.

CFD Trader is another official platform that is younger than Coinbase but is as easy to use. Registration takes just a few minutes, and right after verification, you can trade the most used crypto coins on this platform.

This point of the plant might hit hard. You need to spend hours, days, and weeks to find out more about cryptocurrencies, values, and risks. Use online instruments such as Learn Section by CoinDesk or read articles by Forbes, Times, etc. Spend as much time as you feel is required, don’t rush, and make every decision based on what you know. And don’t think that this research thing ends. There is no end to learning, especially when we speak about investments.

3. Always verify

When you plan to purchase a particular digital coin, make sure you check how official the trade is. As a buyer, you have the right to see the documentation like white papers – documents with details about cryptocurrency projects. If the document is accessed quickly and doesn’t seem unfinished or leave doubts, you can go further and purchase it.

As you can see, cryptocurrency trading and investments overall are complicated topics. This is a nice decision for risk-takers who know they don’t invest everything they have. Keep a sober mind if you decide to go for such investments and keep away from them if you are not sure. Learning more and substantial study can make you more knowledgeable but remember that the risks are always there.

Go to top

5 Ways Financial Analytics Contribute to Business Growth

August 27, 2021

The evolution of technology in the business world is no surprise to anyone. After all, the tech-savvy tools and applications have made the lives of small business owners easy. Digital marketing allows entrepreneurs to promote their brands without spending a fortune. Similarly, automated software such as project management tools and expense trackers have taken business productivity to the next level. And now, the emergence of analytics is likely to streamline the finance department.

Most businesses struggle with complex transactions and data management. Likewise, many entrepreneurs find it tough to maintain records and prepare financials. Luckily, financial analytics would change the way how things happen in finance. In addition to performing repetitive tasks, it will help analyze financial data more accurately. Analytics minimize human error, optimize cash flow, and ensure the business has sufficient funds to stay afloat in the long run.

Moreover, analytics can dig into historical data and identify future patterns. In simple words, you can generate sale estimates for the coming years and reassess your product offerings accordingly. It will improve financial viability and growth prospects. However, if you are unfamiliar with this, have a look below. Here we are highlighting five ways financial analytics contribute to business growth.

1. Evaluates Shareholder’s Value

Are shareholders satisfied with the company’s financial performance? Usually, shareholders want their wealth and return to increase, but business growth seems stagnant. With the help of financial analytics, you can assess the value of shareholders. It would unfold the percentage of risk and the value that gets delivered to shareholders. If this sounds complicated, bring an analytics expert on board or learn the ropes yourself.

The data analytics industry is pretty lucrative, offering profitable returns. Currently, the Master of Science in Analytics – MSA degree salary stands at $80,000 on average. Thus, alongside improving your business worth, you will open yourself to many new employment opportunities.

2. Generates Sales Estimates

In the finance world, the accuracy of sales prediction reflects your business competency. Financial analysts have to assess how much money the company will generate in the coming five years. The estimates serve as the basis of financial decisions today, which means you have no room for mistakes. Fortunately, analytics can help in generate exact sales estimates by analyzing the past and current sales performance.

All you have to do is integrate financial analytics with accounting software. It would automatically sync all the data and provide visualization components – graphs, bar charts, etc., allowing you to apprehend trends.

3. Optimizes Cash flow

Undeniably, managing cash flow is a hassle. You have to keep track of inventory, receivables, suppliers, and never-ending business expenses. Well, you can save yourself some time by using financial analytics tools to keep track of cash flow. It would monitor all inflows and outflows, ensuring you have ample cash to incur routine expenses. Likewise, it can identify unpaid accounts and upcoming bill cycles. Hence, you can send repetitive reminders to make sure debtors pay timely.

Moreover, financial analytics have multiple tracking and reporting systems. It can keep an eye on the movement and utilization of cash into the business. In turn, managers can find areas where cash is misused or drained, allowing you to adopt effective cost-cutting measures. With optimized cash flow, entrepreneurs will have better control over finances and liquidity, promoting business growth.

4. Enhanced Security

When dealing with financial data, security is every person’s utmost concern. Financial analytics have encrypted software that restricts third-party access into the systems. Hence, even if you have information stored on the cloud servers, analytics will provide top-notch security. It will secure data in its servers with multiple layers of protection. For instance, you can use two-factor authentication for user logins. Anyone who wants to access the data will have to entire a pin and password.

Furthermore, financial analytics come with defense mechanisms and firewalls, protecting data from hackers and cyberattacks. When anyone tries to enter the local IP address, analytics deploy firewalls to restrict entry into the system. Thus, you no longer have to worry about data breaches and identity theft, keeping your business reputation intact.

5. Reassess Product Offerings

Sometimes, entrepreneurs develop unique products and services to influence peoples’ lives but forget about the viability. But you are running a business. It means if a product doesn’t offer returns, moving forward with it won’t be a wise decision. Financial analytics can help reassess product offerings. It determines which products are profitable for your business, allowing you to allocate capital adequately.

In turn, you can make informed decisions for the business regarding product and service offerings. For instance, getting an insight into consumer tastes and preferences will allow you to design a product they want. It would help you stay one step ahead in the market, giving you an edge over the competitors in the industry.

Final Words

Believe it or not, the realm of technology is unstoppable. Soon, the finance industry would be cherishing the benefits of analytical tools while improving the flow of funds. Similarly, business owners would improve financial management with the help of analytics. From preparing budget forecasts to creating statements, analytics would make everything straightforward. Hence, start learning about these emerging financial tech evolutions and capitalize on them to foster business growth.

Go to top

7 Video Marketing Tips for Your YouTube Business Channel

August 27, 2021

Have you joined the YouTube revolution? It is hard to believe that this video-sharing sensation didn’t take off until 2005, but now it seems like everyone has a YouTube channel. But going beyond all of those selfie videos and YouTube fails compilations, it’s time for business owners to consider video as a service, starting by uploading their own ‘how-to’ instructional videos as a part of their website marketing strategy. People love watching someone teach them something!

YouTube is the second most popular search engine. It attracts a user’s attention 83% of the time. It’s considered to be one of the fourth most valuable social platforms for B2B marketers and advertisers. YouTube users consist of a third of all internet users worldwide, making it the most popular video streaming service in existence.

As of 2016, twice as many small and medium-sized businesses began using YouTube to advertise channels or videos. So, it comes as no surprise that over two-third of all YouTube viewers are more likely to watch a video in order to help them make decisions about all kinds of purchases. This could be what to eat at a restaurant, which restaurant to visit, the best hotel to stay at or the most suitable car to buy. The list is endless. Hence making video marketing an integral part of every business.

Create value

In any B2B content marketing strategy, the object of your content should be to educate your users, address specific challenges, and ultimately provide them with solutions to simplify life. Your platforms should be geared towards creating value, so your customers can continue to come back to content on your site, especially when they think of you as a subject-matter expert.

Sometimes it’s easy to forget why we started a business or launched a certain service. It’s so hard to keep our minds off the money because at the end of the day, all that matters is turning a profit, right? However, as with any content marketing strategy for B2B businesses, the reason we create this content has everything to do with generating value and addressing gaps for our customers! So, whatever you choose to create (be it blog posts, podcasts, videos, ebooks, conferences – the list goes on) the main focus should be to solve problems in an effective and efficient way! You can take help of professional video production in Seattle to create valuable vidoes for your business.

End goal

When creating video on a video editor, it’s important to establish what your end goal is. Why do you want to create a video? Is it really to attract people to your site or are you trying to keep their attention on your social media platforms? Video production can be expensive. We want to help remind you that if the purpose of creating video is just for entertaining an audience, then, there is a chance that people will become bored and walk away from their screens without interacting with the content or subscribing to your feeds. That’s why we like to stress on the importance of knowing how much detail / content should go into which product/content platform/video channel.

Create a timeline: In your video calendar, schedule content on a regular basis so your audience keeps coming back for more, for example on a weekly or monthly basis. After determining the type of content that fits with your target audience’s lifestyle, create outlines for what will be included in each of your videos. Some popular video content formats include: DIY tutorials, testimonials or FAQs.

You can optimize your video easily to make it more marketable

Simply write a few sentences and then write them again and again – hundreds of times. You can play around with the words as you go. This process might take several days and you’ll need a lot of paper, but if you stick to this plan you’ll have written enough text for your video description by the end of week one! By the time week two rolls around, all that’s left is to craft a title and tags that are special enough they’ll make people click on Play. Remember, videos on YouTube get over 50 times more views than text-based posts so don’t worry if your video doesn’t meet all traditional marketing goals right out of the gate!

Spell out your calls-to-action

Your viewers want to do something with the information you shared, so be sure to include a very clear calls-to-action (CTA) within your video that tells them what you want them to do. The best way to accomplish this is to direct them to an engaging landing page on your website where you can capture their contact information in exchange for a free resource (eBook, tutorial, etc.) Just remember to reinforce your CTA and display it in the video – various studies have found that including both is even more effective than either one by itself!

Start the chatter about your videos

Don’t just rely on search. Start creating some buzz about your new video! When applicable, ask for retweets from your other social channels with fellow channel followers. You can embed the content on your website or blog. Don’t forget to get your loyal fans involved. Feel free to ask them to post your videos across their social media to get even more exposure, especially if they are relevant influencers in your niche, industry or market!

Standardize the look and feel

There is a lot of power in building a strong brand. This means retaining the same look throughout your product experience. You want your customers to know exactly who you are every time they see your company. For example, if you have the same logo or the same color scheme, it doesn’t matter which platform you’re on. That shows how effective branding can be when people instantly recognize who you are, even though many of them only follow you on a single channel.

Video can help your audience learn from the comfort of their own home. The great thing about this type of media is that you don’t need to be perfect, and it isn’t live! This makes it easier to edit out the parts you aren’t comfortable with, without people watching in person. InVideo can help you edit your content to make it as user-friendly as possible.

Go to top

World of the Shipwrecked Leadership

August 27, 2021

By Prof. J. Scott Younger, OBE

The Tokyo Olympic Games, just concluded, were a spectacular success and grateful thanks are owed to our Japanese hosts to make this event so, at a time when we were in the middle of a global pandemic. There were many doubts expressed beforehand by many people over the Games going ahead during the pandemic, but the precautionary measures put in place were well handled and not obtrusive.

For anyone who had the opportunity to watch the Games via TV they must have been struck by the wonderful sportsmanship and friendship shown by the competitors of all nations taking part, whatever race and ethnicity. It prompted me to think and ask why the countries of the world cannot exercise some of the same degree of friendship when dealing with one another rather than push forward with agendas that are antagonistic. The world holds a number of dysfunctional states as well as oppressive dictatorships where the resident population is subjected to mental as well as physical torture. Belarus is a typical example, where the leader of the country stole the election to give himself yet another term, and quashes any dissent, with some paying the ultimate price. He has the arrogance to divert a commercial flight so that he can arrest someone who opposes him and then beats him up, before parading him in front of the cameras to say an apology, which everyone can see was forced out of him.

The Middle East is a complex problem and has been for centuries, the home of some of the oldest civilisations and the divergent monotheistic religions, which add a complicating factor. It surprisingly has been relatively quiet for the last period. Until the next flare up.

Myanmar has also been quiet, or so it seems. The military patrols across the country, particularly in states that offer some resistance and tough guerrilla opposition. The military behave badly, continuing the practice of killing, rape and pillage if not total destruction of small communities which cannot offer any resistance. Corruption is thriving. The military government have ‘promised’ fresh elections next February, 6 months hence, but it is most unlikely that these will be ‘fair and free’. The troubled conditions will continue. It will be an issue of continuing concern for ASEAN and more widely. A recent visit for a documentary had to be carried out illegally in case the military had discovered that the local people had been welcoming and helpful. The repercussions would have been appalling.

The latest situation that has arisen is the Afghanistan blitz takeover by the Taliban, a medieval group promoting the fundamental sharia doctrine, which is out of date and treats women as ‘non-persons’. They have also harboured terrorists, one group pulling off the infamous 2001, 9/11 strike on the NY Twin Towers, which awakened the US to take strong retaliatory action in Afghanistan, and forcing the Taliban out for 20 years. Their 5-year, 1996-2001, rule of Afghanistan was brought to a close after the NY happening, when the US with Allied forces took charge and ousted them.

But now the Taliban are back following a direct meeting with the then president Trump in 2017, no Afghan government present, and they saw him coming! Shades of North Korea. He said he would withdraw completely without proper assurances, leaving the country’s development less than half finished. President Joseph Biden completed the task of withdrawal, somewhat hasty, upsetting nearly all Americans in the process. The British were caught flat-footed and there is considerable anger expressed by MPs, not least because they realise that they no longer have the ability to resolve such issues themselves. They feel embarrassed and rightly so.

As one of the Afghan luminaries and most quoted intellectuals, prof. Djawed Sangdel, reminds us: “Afghanistan is a graveyard of empires. Even Alexander the Macedonian realised – 2,300 years ago – ‘it is easy to enter the country, but lethal when exiting it’. This especially if you do not respect domestic realities.” Indeed, the situation on the ground is chaotic.

The leader, Ashraf Ghani, of the weak ‘legal’ government has fled, not without rumours about bags full of cash, and that is one reason that the country has not progressed as well as it should, endemic corruption. Women, quite rightly, are fearful, as to what lies in store, as the Taliban’s record on treatment of them is brutal. They have promised to give emancipation within sharia law – which in their case was the combination of twisted and oversimplified Islamic teachings with the tribal nomadic pre-Islamic culture of the central Asian hights.

Looking at the country as a whole, one worries about its future; the Taliban have no track record of governing a country, particularly not one as complex as Afghanistan. They would have to greatly modify their approach to life, separate religion from state (affairs). However, there are credible doubts; once more the Northern Alliance will get together and the country will lapse into civil war. Will the Chinese see an opportunity and risk what others have failed to do? My heart goes out to the people of Afghanistan.

In reviewing the past few decades, it would seem that western led democracies, when they have engaged with a country, which is in trouble, have only entered it without full humanitarian understanding of the problems and not sought a proper sustainable solution. Inevitably it takes longer than one thinks, and there are not strong enough safeguards put in to avoid financial losses to development projects, sometimes major.

The UN has a major part to play, but one must ask if today’s remit is fit for purpose, or should they be reviewed, and the countries that make up the UN should look at and ask themselves if they are fair in what they give and expect, not just monetarily.

Go to top

About the Author

Prof. J. Scott Younger, OBE is International Chancellor of the President University, He spent 42 years in the Asia and its Far East undertaking assignment in 10 countries for the World Bank, Asia Development Bank, UN Development Program, etc. He serves as the IFIMES Advisory Board member.

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Code Obfuscation

August 27, 2021

By Vala Flynn

Code obfuscation is the process of changing executable code such that it is no longer understandable, interpretable, or executable. The source code is obfuscated to the point where it is unreadable and impossible to understand, let alone execute, by a third party.

Obfuscation of code does not affect the application’s end-user interface or the code’s intended outcome. It’s only a preventative measure to make the code worthless for a possible hacker who gets their hands on an application’s executable code.

Why is it necessary to obfuscate code?

Obfuscation of code is especially important for open-source systems, which have a significant disadvantage in code hackability for personal gain. Obfuscation is especially important for source code that is distributed insecurely.

Developers ensure that their product’s intellectual property is protected against security threats, unauthorised access, and the discovery of application flaws by making a program challenging to reverse engineer. This procedure limits malicious access to source code and ensures varying levels of code protection depending on the type of obfuscation technique used.

If the code is obfuscated, the most critical deciding factor against carrying out a reverse-engineering assault increases significantly. Because the decompiled code is rendered unreadable, the time, cost, and resource factors all weigh in favor of discarding the code when it is obfuscated.

The advantages of code obfuscation

The security team performs code obfuscation in the apps, especially those hosted on open-source platforms, which has numerous benefits. In an untrustworthy environment, it is always preferable to deploy an obfuscated application, which makes it more difficult for attackers to inspect and analyze the code.

This procedure assures no loopholes for debugging, manipulating, or disseminating the fictitious application for illicit benefit. This layer of security is essential for apps that deal with business-critical consumer personal information.

Most obfuscators also clean up the code by deleting unnecessary metadata, dead codes, and duplicates. As a result of this minification, the compilation process is sped up, resulting in faster code execution and faster outputs, upping the ante on code performance.

Another significant benefit of code obfuscation is that it makes it difficult to reverse-engineer a program, meaning code distribution on open-source platforms is no longer a concern. If numerous levels of security are to be implemented, iterative code obfuscation is especially well-known.

The security team uses one or more obfuscation algorithms in this technique, with the output of the previous algorithm serving as an input to the next in line, and so on. As a result, the attacker may become confused about the program’s original goal and what is visible to them, resulting in deobfuscation attempts failing.

Because cracking an obfuscated code demands real effort, talent, money, and time, code obfuscation is a practical approach to dealing with threats and weeding out fun-attackers out of the way. Even if the hackers succeed, the deobfuscated code may not resemble the original code very closely. Though true effectiveness measures are difficult to come by, most companies obfuscate code for security and privacy reasons.

The negative effects of code obfuscation

All obfuscation techniques have some impact on code performance, even if it is minor. Depending on the amount of code obfuscated and the complexity of the methods obfuscated, deobfuscating the code may take a significant amount of time.

The majority of automatic obfuscators can decode an obfuscated program. Obfuscation slows down the process of reverse engineering; it does not prevent it. Some anti-virus software will warn users if they visit a website that uses obfuscated code, as obfuscation can be used to hide malicious code. This could prevent people from using genuine apps and drive them away from reputable businesses.

Conclusion

To tackle complicated security threats, all of this code obfuscation is insufficient. The availability of automated tools and hackers’ expertise make it harder to deobfuscate code, but it is not impossible to reverse-engineer.

As a result, code obfuscation is not a one-stop shop for all applicable security requirements. The development team could use various code obfuscation approaches to secure their code in an untrusted environment, depending on the security need, nature of the application, and performance benchmark.

These should be carried out while taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of each technique. Other AppSec initiatives, such as encryption, RASP, data retention policies, and so on, should be supported by this strategy. When combined with RASP solutions like AppSealing, it becomes a potent antidote to today’s security concerns.

Go to top

About the Author

Vala Flynn is a Full Stack Developer with over 8 years of development, object-oriented, and user-centered design expertise. Able to analyze system flows and data consumption in order to design and maintain software that meets production and quality standards. She created desktop and mobile app products that adhered to the highest web and mobile design standards, user experience, best practices, and speed.

What Will Bitcoin be Worth in 2025?

August 27, 2021

By Thomas Jackson

Bitcoin sparked the birth of the cryptocurrency industry and was designed to replace paper-based currencies and gain worldwide recognition. Over the past few months, the price of Bitcoin has fallen greatly after reaching a value of $65,000 in April 2021.

Cryptocurrency experts predict that Bitcoin will be a more powerful global currency than the US dollar by the end of 2050. Investors and experts are struggling to predict the expected value of this currency in 2025. You can visit https://bitcoinprime.io/ for more details.

Understanding Bitcoin and the reasons for price rise

Bitcoin was founded by Satoshi Nakamoto as a peer-to-peer digital cash system aimed at replacing paper-based fiat currency. Since it is peer-to-peer, Bitcoin is decentralized, meaning it does not need third-party control such as the government or bank to monitor transactions.

Bitcoin transactions are approved by miners who receive BTC for any verified block and these are included in the blockchain. The BTC reward prompts miners to confirm more transactions and promote the Bitcoin network.

The supply of Bitcoin is capped at 21 million and together with halving, this makes the asset as scarce as gold. It is for that reason that it is referred to as digital gold. The unique characteristics of Bitcoin make this currency a store of value as well as a global transactional currency.

The currency is considered safe even during the season of economic crisis. As such, the economy in 2021 does not influence Bitcoin’s performance or its prices thereof. Bitcoin is, therefore, a powerful financial technology that is subject to price rise and capable of transforming the world. The projected growth of Bitcoin may be substantial and represent its actual value as an internationally recognized currency.

The price action of Bitcoin

According to a finance assignment help UK, the value of Bitcoin today is around $48,000 but because of its volatility, the asset has the potential to fluctuate fast. The currency started with a very small value after the release of the core client code into the market.

A few years later, its value rose to over $1,000 after which it started being recognized as a potential financial asset. In 2017, Bitcoin’s potential shook the world with many investors gaining tremendous wealth when the asset hit $20,000. That is when many people started learning about Bitcoin with many of the retail investors running to buy it.

In 2018, the price started declining, causing the market to retrace by a low of 80% t0 $3,000. This trend left many investors wondering whether Bitcoin will ever regain its momentum.

The currency’s growth started returning at the beginning of 2019 which created some hope among retail investors. The value went up to $14,000 before falling to $6,500 and further $4,000 in 2020.

The global effort to curb the COVID-19 pandemic pushed the money supply upwards, raising concerns about Bitcoin’s strength.

The cryptocurrency assumed a new trend in 2021, hitting a high of $65,000 before falling to $30,000 in July 2021.

The future of Bitcoin

Several cryptocurrency experts have expressed their short-term and long-term views about Bitcoin’s price expectations. Max Keiser, an expert, and investor predict a value of $100,000 in the short-term and $ 400,000 in the long term.

Robert Kiyosaki, an investor and the author of “Rich Dad, Poor Dad,” has been advising people to buy Bitcoin. He predicts the price of Bitcoin to rise from the current $47,000 to $75,000 by 2025.

Plan B uses Bitcoin’s scarcity to predict future prices, which is the rationale behind the Sock-to Flow model. Based on this model, Bitcoin could reach $288,000 when it reaches the next high in a few years.

Bitcoin developer Adam Back estimates the currency’s price at $300,000 in the next few years. According to Adam, the currency may not need another institutional adoption to assume price change because many investors are considering hedging their investments.

Previous successful price predictions

Making Bitcoin’s price predictions is not an easy task, although some industry experts have made accurate predictions in the past. For instance, Daniel Masters, a financial analyst, predicted that Bitcoin price would break out in 2017 to reach a $4,400 mark. Bitcoin reached that price and later rose to $20,000

Another successful price prediction was done by Vinny Lingham, who said that Bitcoin would be valued at between $2,000 and $3,000 by 2017. Peter Brandt predicted that Bitcoin value could drop by at least 80% in 2018. At the close of the year, the target was realized and the currency dropped to $3,200.

According to Bloomberg Research 2020, Bitcoin was expected to reach the $20,000 mark by December 2020, the prediction of which was accurate. Tim Draper, a venture capitalist and a heavy investor in cryptocurrency, has also made accurate Bitcoin price predictions. In 2014, Draper estimated the price to reach $10,000 by the end of 2018. His projection was right because, in 2017, the price of the currency doubled the projection.

Bitcoin cycles every four years through the process of halving, with the next having coming in 2024. The currency’s price will go up again as a result of a reduction in the supply. Technical analysts predict Bitcoin price to reach a high of $500,000 by the beginning of 2025.

Conclusion

Based on the massive forecasts and price projections, the currency could replace other global currencies in the future. The use of prediction models or technical analysis does not guarantee the accuracy of results, so the experts could get it right or wrong. The Bitcoin prices are so volatile and it is never too late to invest in the currency for short-term and long-term gains.

Go to top

About the Author

Thomas Jackson is a college paper writer who provides assignment help to students. He’s considered to be the best assignment helper online. He is an active member of some very good writing clubs in New York. Besides academic writing, he loves to pen down songs, something he has been doing since his childhood. He gets his inspiration from his family and live music shows.

Four Serious Financial Mistakes College Grads Make

August 27, 2021

As a college graduate, the sooner you start budgeting and planning for your financial future, the more financially stable you will be in the years to come. On the other hand, if you don’t think about your finances, you could end up making mistakes that could seriously impact your finances. Here are four mistakes you need to avoid.

1. Buying a Home Without Understanding How Interest Rates Work

Once you’re out of college and have secured a great job, your thoughts will probably turn to buying a home. But too many college grads make the mistake of proceeding with getting a mortgage without knowing how interest rates work. If you want to stay in control of your finances and not run into potential serious repercussions, it’s vital you have a good understanding of mortgage interest rate basics. If you don’t, your monthly payment could change and you wouldn’t be prepared.

Without understanding your interest rate, it could also take you a lot longer to pay off your loan. For instance, you wouldn’t know how best to make additional principal payments. You could also lose out on the opportunity to refinance your mortgage later on. When you understand interest rates, you can then use a mortgage rate comparison site to compare your rate with all the current rates. At the end of the day, if you’re getting a mortgage, understanding the interest rate is pivotal for making the most of your money.

2. Overlooking Student Loans When Calculating Your Monthly Living Expenses

As a college grad, you probably have student loans to pay off. Having debt can have a major impact on your finances. For instance, you may have to settle for a low-rent property when you first come out of college because you will need to spend a proportion of your income on paying off your student debt.

While most student loans have grace periods, it’s a mistake to not worry about your student loan during that grace period. Otherwise, you could find yourself living beyond your means when it comes time to start paying off your debt. Furthermore, having debt can lessen your chances of qualifying for loans like mortgages. So, the sooner you address any debt you have, the better.

3. Not Considering Loan Forgiveness Options

Whether you start paying off your student loan after the grace period or immediately, it will take time to pay off. But there is one option known as loan forgiveness that many grads don’t even consider. If you’re not familiar yourself, loan forgiveness is basically an opportunity to not pay all or some of your student loan.

There are various types of programs that you can engage with to become eligible for loan forgiveness. For instance, you can get loan forgiveness for choosing a job in a specific field or location, volunteering, or serving in the military.

4. Not Saving Early for Retirement

Sure, you’re young. So, retirement is probably the last thing on your mind. However, if you don’t plan ahead, in a few years’ time, you will wish you had. You only have to do the math to see how advantageous it is to start saving for retirement early. For example, basing the annual rate of return on 7%, a person who starts saving at the age of twenty-five will more than double their retirement fund by the time he or she retires compared to someone who starts saving at the age of thirty-five.

Even college grads who do start saving straight away can make mistakes, though. One of the most common is not taking advantage of your employer’s match. If you work for a company that matches retirement contributions, you basically get free money for your retirement fund.

Go to top

Chad Price Explains How Your Company Can Encourage Staff Health and Wellness

August 27, 2021

Employee illness and injuries cost American businesses a massive $225.8 billion in 2019. When you’re running a company, ensuring that your staff is healthy should be a major priority. Chad Price, the CEO and co-founder of MAKO Medical Laboratories, knows the value of supporting the wider team and making wellness a priority. Over the last year and a half, his business has more than doubled in staff size, putting this into keen focus. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of his advice on how to encourage employee wellness.

Offer Health Education Opportunities

One of the biggest challenges that individuals face when it comes to their health is a matter of education. When you’re running a company, offering your staff members educational opportunities could significantly improve their lifestyles. For example, you might want to offer optional workshops to your employees that provide them with information on how to live well, exercise as much as they need, and eat a balanced diet.

The amount of support and education you can offer will depend largely on the size of your business. However, it’s worth considering how you can support your team and what initiatives you can provide. You don’t have to organize this benefit in-house. There are plenty of third-party operators you can contract to offer it. The more research you do, the more likely you are to find a system that works for you.

Focus on Mental Well-Being

While physical wellness is important, it would be a mistake to overlook mental health. More than half of USA employees experienced burnout this year, according to a study from Indeed. With stress levels and workloads always on the rise, taking care of your employees’ mental health is vital. While you need your team to be productive, take the time to consider how to alleviate some of the pressure they are under.

You can do this in a couple of ways. For instance, you may find that it’s useful to have a well-being officer within your business. This professional folds into the HR team and offers support to any of the staff members who may need it. When an employee has an issue—mental or otherwise—they can report to this professional and share their experiences with them. Additionally, you may want to look at your policies on mental health, including how you offer sick days and the benefits you provide for your team.

Strengthen Bonds with the Community

Building strong social bonds—especially with the wider community—can help to improve people’s mental and physical health. This approach has the added bonus of solidifying your position within the local community and helping those who need it the most. At MAKO Medical Laboratories, we encourage all of our team members to immerse themselves in projects and programs that support residents in the area. Many of these are highly active pursuits and allow the team members to enhance their own levels of physical fitness.

Whatever your business offers, there are certainly ways you can reach out to the community. You may want to start hosting charitable events that raise funds for causes. On the other hand, if your business offers a service or product that could be of use to the community, there may be ways to harness that power. For instance, the team MAKO Medical Laboratories has previously offered free PCR testing and COVID-19 vaccines to organizations and individuals within the wider area. Decide what works for your business.

Help Out with the Cost of Medications

The average American spends $1200 on prescription drugs every year, according to a report from Bloomberg. Not only is the cost of medication high, but it can put stress on the shoulders of your staff members. One way you can support your team’s wellness is by helping them with this financial burden. You may offer to cover some of the costs via your health benefit or even subsidize the cost in some other way. Ensuring that your staff has access to the medication that they need when they need it could make a huge difference.

Additionally, you may find third-party companies you can use for this service. Do some research into the local companies in your area and see what works for your business. Making sure that you have a proper policy in place ahead of time means that your team members will never need to worry about this aspect of their health. For that reason, it’s worth taking the time to consider the approach you can take here.

The Takeaway!

Prioritizing staff wellness is a business-savvy move. When you have a healthy team, you can be sure that your business will thrive and grow. While we’ve covered some of the initial steps you may take, there’s a myriad of ways to offer your staff members the support that they need. You may start with these examples and then delve deeper into the initiatives you can embark upon within your business.

About MAKO Medical Laboratories

Supported by an expert team of nationally recognized doctors and PhDs, MAKO Medical Laboratories specializes in methodology development and pathological services. The game-changing testing company and labs prioritize patients by offering transparency.

Started in 2014 by Chad Price, Adam Price, and Josh Arant, it aims to disrupt the sector. Additionally, MAKO Medical offers support to veterans. The company combines a wealth of new technology including robotics, app platforms, and cloud-based tech. In response to the pandemic, the laboratories have adapted their services to offer accurate testing.

Chad Price is the CEO of MAKO Medical Laboratories. He has had a long entrepreneurial career previously co-founding BrideGenie and founding Element Services Group Mechanical LLC. He has played a major role in starting Cary Reconstruction and is a board member for Trill A.I. Moreover, he currently offers tailored consulting services to companies embarking on new mergers or primed for growth.

Go to top