Books by George Weigel

Lessons in Hope: My Unexpected Life with St. John Paul II (2017)

City of Saints: A Pilgrimage to John Paul II's Kraków (2015)

In this beautifully illustrated spiritual travelogue, George Weigel leads readers through the historic streets of Kraków, Poland, introducing one of the world’s great cities through the life of one of the most influential Catholic leaders of all time.

Evangelical Catholicism: Deep Reform in the 21st-Century Church (2013)

Against the Grain: Christianity and Democracy, War and Peace (2008)

Cutting against the grain of conventional wisdom, New York Times bestseller, George Weigel, offers a compelling look at the ways in which Catholic social teaching sheds light on the challenges of peace, the problem of pluralism, the quest for human rights, and the defense of liberty. In this major contribution one of America's most prominent intellectuals offers a meticulous analysis of the foundations of the free society as he makes a powerful case for the role of moral reasoning in meeting the threats to human dignity posed by debonair nihilism, jihadist violence, and the brave new world of manufactured men and women.
Faith, Reason, and the War Against Jihadism: A Call to Action (2007)

“History must be made to march in the direction of genuine human progress; world affairs have no intrinsic momentum that necessarily results in the victory of decency. Maintaining the morale necessary to achieving progress in history requires us to live our lives, today, against a moral horizon of responsibility that is wider and deeper than the quest for personal satisfactions. The future of our civilization does not rest merely on the advance of material wealth and technological prowess; the future of the West turns on the question of whether our spiritual aspirations are noble or base.” —from Faith, Reason, and the War Against Jihadism

More than half a decade after 9/11, safe passage through a moment of history fraught with both peril and possibility requires Americans across the political spectrum to see things as they are.

In this incisive, engaging study of the present danger and what we must do to prevail against it, George Weigel, one of America’s foremost public intellectuals, does precisely that: he sees, and describes, things as they are—and as they might be. Drawing on a quarter century of experience at the intersection of moral argument and public policy, he describes rigorously and clearly the threat posed by global jihadism: the religiously inspired ideology which teaches that it is the moral obligation of all Muslims to employ whatever means are necessary to compel the world’s submission to Islam. Exploring that ideology’s theological, social, cultural, and political roots, Weigel points a new direction for both public policy and interreligious dialogue, one that meets the challenge of jihadism forthrightly while creating the conditions for a less threatening, more mutually enriching encounter between Islam and the West.

Essential reading in a time of momentous political decisions, Faith, Reason, and the War Against Jihadism is a clarion call for a new seriousness of debate and a new clarity of purpose in American public life.

Publisher's Weekly The biographer of Pope John Paul II (Witness to Hope) chronicles the transition between John Paul's papacy and that of his successor, Pope Benedict XVI, in this blend of history, biography, analysis and forecasting. Readers familiar with John Paul's papacy will be tempted to skip over the first three chapters summarizing the late pope's life, plunging instead into what Weigel has to say about the new pontiff and how he was elected in one of the shortest conclaves in papal history. Of particular interest is Weigel's diary of the conclave, which combines his own observations with those of journalists, Vatican officials and cardinal-electors, none of whom, he attests, violated the oath of confidentiality in talking with him. His insights into Benedict are compelling and defy the caricature of the former cardinal as "God's Rottweiler." In a look toward the future church Benedict has the potential to shape, Weigel suggests the new pope is not likely to bring about revolutionary change in the area of liturgy and theological dissent, but could introduce reforms in such areas as Vatican diplomacy, the curial structure and the selection of bishops. The author's access to sources in and around the Vatican paired with his accessible writing style make this good reading for a broad audience.

Why do Europeans and Americans see the world so differently? Why do Europeans and Americans have such different understandings of democracy in the twenty-first century? Why is Europe dying, demographically? In The Cube and the Cathedral, George Weigel offers a penetrating critique of "Europe's problem" and draws out its lessons for the rest of the democratic world. Contrasting the civilization that produced the starkly modernist "cube" of the Great Arch of La Defense in Paris with the civilization that produced the "cathedral," Notre-Dame, Weigel argues that Europe's embrace of a narrow and cramped secularism has led to a crisis of civilizational morale that is eroding Europe's soul and failing to create the European future. Even as thoughtful Europeans and Americans wrestle with these grave issues, many European political leaders continue to insist-most recently, during the debate over a new European constitution-that only a public square shorn of religiously informed moral argument is safe for human rights and democracy. The most profound question raised by The Cube and the Cathedral is whether there can be any true "politics"-any true deliberation about the common good, and any robust defense of freedom-without God. George Weigel makes a powerful case that the answer is "No"-because, in the final analysis, societies and cultures can only be as great as their spiritual aspirations.

See Also:

Letters to a Young Catholic (2004)

The Courage to Be Catholic: Crisis, Reform and the Future of the Church (2002)

The Truth of Catholicism: Inside the Essential Teachings and Controversies of the Church Today (2001)

The Catholic Church may be the most controversial institution in the world. Whether the question is the uniqueness of Jesus Christ, the relationship of Catholicism to other religious communities, the meaning of freedom, the use and abuse of sex, the dignity of human life from conception until natural death, or the role of women, the Catholic Church has taken challenging positions that some find inexplicable, even cruel.

In The Truth of Catholicism, George Weigel explores these perennial questions and more, showing Catholicism and its controversies from "inside" the convictions that make those controversies not only possible but necessary. The truths of Catholicism then come into clearer focus as affirmations and celebrations of human life and human love, even as they challenge us to imagine a daring future for humanity and for ourselves.

Soul of the World: Notes on the Future of Public Catholicism (1996)

    Review, by R. Bruce Douglass. Journal of Church and State, June, 1997.
Idealism Without Illusions/U.S. Foreign Policy in the 1990's (1994)

  • Review by Carl Gershman. First Things 31 (March 1993): 42-45.
Freedom and its Discontents: Catholicism Confronts Modernity (1991)

How can an authoritative church avoid authoritarianism? How can a church committed to a dialogue with modern science and the humanities still hold itself accountable to an ancient religious tradition? How can a hierarchied church defend religious freedom and support the democratic revolution in world politics? George Weigel's exploration of these issues of the modern Catholic debate over freedom touches concerns far beyond Catholic circles.

Catholicism and the Renewal of American Democracy (1989)

n recent years, Roman Catholic bishops and activists have been highly visible in the public debate over issues such as nuclear arms control and U.S. policy in Central America. Until now, however, the evolution of American Catholic thought on these questions has received little attention. This book is the first comprehensive critical analysis of American Catholic thought on war and peace. The author's purpose is to evaluate the post-Vatican II transformation of the Church's approach to war/peace issues and to point a wiser direction for its future development. The book begins with a survey of American Catholicism's rich and sophisticated heritage of moral reasoning on war, peace, and political community. In a major reinterpretation of American Catholic history, Weigel shows how the American Bishops' development of a theology of democracy in the nineteenth and twentieth

centuries enriched the Church's classic understanding of peace as political community. Weigel thus challenges the now-prominent idea that the U.S. Catholic bishops were not seriously involved in the war-peace debate until the last decade. A highlight of the book is its detailed intellectual portrait of John Courtney Murray, S.J., whom Weigel calls the finest political theorist ever produced by the American Church. Weigel then demonstrates how, over the past generation, American Catholic intellectuals and publicists began to abandon their heritage, and thereby impoverished the theological and political argument over war and peace, security and freedom. The book analyzes the ideas of seven key figures in the transformation of the American Catholic war/peace debate--Dorothy Day, Gordon Zahn, Thomas Merton, Daniel and Philip Berrigan, James Douglass, and J. Bryan Hehir--and critically explores the U.S. bishops' recent involvement with nuclear and Central American policy. Recovering and developing the classic American Catholic heritage, Weigel argues, is essential to creating a wiser theology and politics whose concern for both peace and freedom challenges realists and idealists alike.


Who, me?

I am a 41 year old thrice divorced mother of an amazing 20 year old dude. As we both grow we have turned into each other’s sidekick. I’m a traveler, a fighter, a dreamer, a go-getter, a teacher, a conqueror, a nomadic soul, an immigrant, a survivor, an explorer, and seeker of opportunities. This is the story of my being. What I have been, am and will be through my experiences with travel! Learning about the past 41 years and dreaming the next 20! Witnesses wanted!

38 hours traveling to reach Bali, Indonesia


While it might seem initially surprising that the intestine is capable of affecting your psyche, there is an overwhelming amount of evidence that suggests how important your gut is in relation to your sentiment. Some scientists refer to the gut as the “second brain” for the sake of describing just how potent the nerve is at detecting emotions. The bowel can sense looks like calmness in safe situations or trigger the fight or flight action in potentially dangerous situations.

Have you ever had a gut feeling when making a decision or felt an immense gumption of fear during situations? The superstar of butterflies in the gut before a lecture or feeling gut-wrenching affections are felt in the gut for a reasonablenes. These signals in the body are a way of ability and understanding emotions.

Understanding how the gut’s health works in relation to the brain can help improve your overall state and wellness. Here’s how the gut-brain axis acts and six nutrients you can eat to support your gut health.

How Does the Gut-Brain Connection Work?

The gut is formally known as the enteric nervous system( ENS ). The ENS contained in over 100 million nerve cadres that line the entire duration of the gastrointestinal tract( 1 ). While the nerve is incapable of affecting reasoning and speculated sciences be put into practice by the brain, it does effectively communicate with your intelligence. The bidirectional communication between the ENS and the central nervous system( CNS) is known as the gut-brain axis.

Communication in the gut-brain axis can happen in the following ways 😛 TAGEND

The vagus nerve helps sensory neurons to carry information received from the bowels to the brain stem. The bacteria in the gut can signal intestine hormones to enter into the bloodstream. The nerve capacities as most of the body’s immune system. Chronic stress can prompt leaky gut illnes. Microbial metabolites known as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium produce GABA, which is a neurotransmitter in the ability. Bacteria produce short-chain fatty battery-acids, which stimulate the nervous system and navigate the recognition and learning process in the psyche( 2 ).

The gastrointestinal organization contains a tremendous amount of intestine microbes. The nerve microbiota forces appetite and food intake( 3 ). The major function of the nerve is digestion, nutrient absorption, and eradication. Aside from the basics of absorption, the bowel respond to psychological stressors by carrying information to the brain.

In essence, the bowel can tell the brain information before the mentality perceives the information. You might have known a excavation in your tummy or a gut reaction to a situation before you cognitively knew something was amiss. This is the gut-brain axis in action( 4 ).

The Development of the Amazing Gut Microbiome

In the recent analyses of the past decade, it has come to the attention of researchers that the nerve microbiota is the main regulator of the gut-brain axis. The diversification of trillions of microbes is mainly made up of bacteria, in the form of two types called Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes. Microbial cells are so abundant that they outnumber human cadres( 5 ).

There is evidence that microbiota composition is formed in fetuses before birth. An infant’s microbiota is formed by feeding patterns, and a micro-organism called Clostridium is introduced from the aura and the mother’s scalp( 6 ).

From birth up until the first 3 to 5 years of life, the intestine microbiota is amply formed. The bacteria in the gut remains stable throughout the lifespan, only to be altered by bacterial illness, antibiotics, and life and diet reforms. A alteration in the microbial organization stimulates determining factor for sicknes( 7 ).

How Gut Health Relates to Mental Health

Since the brain and the gut are connected, your gut has a profound influence on your attitude, health, and cognition. The science behind the nerve and how it affects the psyche is still budding, but there are some promising equivalences to pay attention to. Let’s dive in.

Nerve Health and Anxiety

Due to the very intimate connection between the gut and the intelligence, there are links to anxiety and digestive topics( 8 ). Feeling nauseated before a big event or having an upset stomach due to stress is very common. Stress, anxiety, and feeling can significantly affect the contractions of the GI tract and develop disagreeable manifestations. Stress and other psychological conditions can increase inflammation and the likelihood of infection( 9 ).

The connection between the well-being of the intestine is correlated to the brain’s health and vice versa, meaning that taking care of the intestine can reduce psychological conditions. Conversely, stress reduction can positively impact the gut’s health( 10 ).

In order to have both a health functioning mentality and a happy intestine, they both must be given proper care. When the gut is healthy, the brain functions much better, which is a relief to many of those who suffer from mental illnesses such as anxiety and depression( 11 ).

The gut may also be affecting the brain of those who have irritable bowel syndrome( IBS)( 12 ). It’s common for those working with IBS likewise suffer from anxiety and dimple. Some surveys have shown that the indications of IBS, like constipation, bloating, hurting, and diarrhea, may prompt signals to the central nervous system. These signals can lead to mood reforms, like anxiety and recession( 13 ).

Gut Health and Stress

Is it possible that your gastrointestinal fuss are due to stress? If we suffer anguish or ache in the form of stomach aches, diarrhea, or heartburn, we frequently analyse the problem at the resources. However, the problem may not be deriving from the belly at all.

These tummy misfortunes can be the direct response of stress( 14 ). Dealing with and reducing stress can have a positive effect on stomach issues.

When we suffer the evidences of stress, we may brush them off as a manifestation of something else exclusively( 15 ). Stiff muscles, restlessness, loss of interest in sex, weight loss or advantage, and sleep questions are all potential physical responses to stress. Behaviorally, stress can manifest in delay dress, teeth grinding, rumination, and withdrawal from others. Emotional prompts from stress are probably readily identified as a stress response, like scream, rage, indecisiveness, inadequate storage, and nervousness.

If you display a number of the symptoms usually stemming from stress, as well as stomach and digestion questions, abbreviating stress may abbreviate the uncomfortable issues and digestive ailments( 16 ).

The Important Role of Nutrition in the Gut-Brain Connection

The health of your gut is important for all of the major functions of the body , not only the mentality. The body’s immune cells are almost entirely in the gut( 17 ). When the bacteria of the bowel are out of balance, the immune response is not functioning at its highest capacity.

Capability Clues of an Unhealthy Gut:

Autoimmune Diseases: All autoimmune cancers are links between an harmful intestine , not only the inflammatory bowel sickness including Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis( 18 ). Mood Disorders: Gut bacteria influence neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine( 19 ). Weight Gain: Gut bacteria affect how we place fatty, blood sugar status, and hormones that trigger emptines or satiety( 20 ). Fatigue: We often assume that tiredness is due to our busy lifestyles, but the bacteria positions in the gut can often be the culprit( 21 ). Skin Conditions: Probiotics can greatly improve the skin’s complexion and abbreviate acne, eczema, psoriasis, and more( 22 ). Headaches and Migraines: Migraine sufferers often have GI disorders, showing that healing the bowel may improve headache sting( 23 ). Sinus Edition: The reduction in diversity of bowel bacteria decisions in higher chances of hay fever and pollen allergies( 24 ).

6 Menus to Aid Gut Health

A few simple changes to your nutrition can have an effect on your well-being. Even short-term alterations have an effect on the human microbiome( 25 ).

1. Bone Broth

Collagen, gelatin, and glutamine are the building blocks to a healthier bowel and they are contained in bone broth. Bone broth is easy to accept and is absorbed by the body immediately, doing it supportive for your intestine, surface, and seam health.

2. Steamed Vegetables

When healing a troubled bowel, it is best to steam veggies to digest them easier. Veggies are full of fiber and abate the sorenes in the GI tract( 26 ).

3. Non-Dairy Fermented Foods

Non-dairy alternatives like coconut milk yogurt and kefir are filled with probiotics, the bacteria that helps support the gut. Other fermented meat like kimchi and sauerkraut are laden with probiotics help cleanse the digestive system.

4. Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is a healthy overweight that contains the saturated solid lauric acid, which concludes the lubricant antifungal and antimicrobial, and therefore beneficial to the gut( 27 ). Coconut lubricant is also anti-inflammatory, so it is recommended to improve inflammatory bowel conditions.

5. Grass-Fed Meats

Grass-fed meat are more nutritious, are higher in healthy fats, and higher levels of antioxidants. It’s important to decipher between conventionally fed( grain-fed) swine and pasture-raised swine. When an animal is grass-fed, it devotes its life grazing on grass and bushes, as opposes it cereals, intending the meat is higher in anti-inflammatory omega -3 fatty acids and vitamins A and E( 28 ).

6. Fatty Fish/ Fish Oil

Another source of critical omega -3 fatty acids is wild-caught fish or fish oil adds-on. Many parties take fish petroleum complements daily if they do not regularly exhaust oily fish in their diets. The recommended daily uptake is 1,100 milligrams for both men and 1,600 milligrams for men( 29 ). Be sure to consult your doctor before supplementing augments to your routine.

The First Steps to Improve Gut Health Right Now

To begin supporting your intestine health, focus on adding the nutrient-dense nutrients listed above into your diet. Download this free Leaky Gut Diet Food List and take it with you the next time you go to the grocery store. You’ll have access to all of the meat is included in your food, and which ones to evade, forming the store outing much easier.

Don’t forget to add bone broth to your grocery list! The mouth-watering soups and savory bone broths from Kettle& Fire can be easily incorporated into your diet. Bone broth is a simple way to promote your bowel state and strengthen the gut-brain connection.

Pin for last-minute 😛 TAGEND

The Gut Brain Connection How Healing Your Gut May Support Your Overall Well Being pin

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< Back

3D Probe Calculation

What process does Tecplot use for probing in 3D? Also for streamtrace placement contour labeling linear interpolation and polyline extraction in 3D.

Tecplot determines the tetrahedron that the point is inside and then does a weighted average of the data set values at the four corners of the tetrahedron to get the values at the point. This method is not the most accurate – especially if your grid is coarse or has long skinny cells. That type of grid also leads to other inaccuracies. To find the right tetrahedron:

  1. If possible a group of cells are identified as candidates for containing the particle position. For Streamtrace calculations the candidate cells are known to be in the neighborhood of where the particle was previously found.
  2. These candidate cells are examined one at a time. If the cells are bricks (i.e. they are not FE-Tetrahedral) then they are divided up into 6-tetrahedrons. Each is evaluated (steps 3 and 4) until the point is located in one.
  3. The volume of the tetrahedron is calculated: VT
  4. The volume of the four sub-tetrahedrons formed by connecting the particle position with three of the sides of the tetrahedron at a time. This gives: V1 V2 V3 V4 if ABS(V1+V2+V3+V4 – VT) < epsilon then the particle is said to be inside the tetrahedron and the weight to assign to each corner of the tetrahedron is:

Wn = Vn/VT where Vn is the volume of the sub-tetrahedron opposite the corner assigned to Wn 1 <= n <= 4. 5. If none of the candidate cells contains the point the search is expanded until the point is found.

Tecplot determines the weighting to give each of the four corners of the tetrahedron where the point is located.


Measuring the financial impact of UX in two enterprise organizations

By Aaron Powers, JonDelina ‘JD’ Buckley, and Yookyoung Kim

Based on an article originally published on UXmatters, January 7th, 2019

Two enterprises in vastly different industries have used statistical models to compare the impact of usability on financial metrics: athenahealth, a healthcare-technology company, and a Fortune-500 human capital–management (HCM) company. If you want to adapt this model, here are some suggestions to think about as you embark upon your own UX measurement initiative at your organization.

How Does Usability Impact Business Metrics?

When people talk about the return on investment (ROI) of user experience efforts, the question they usually want to answer is: “How much does design impact the bottom line?” While it is possible to answer this question by calculating a detailed financial ROI, we’ve discovered a simpler, but equally revealing approach. Understanding how users perceive your product and how their perceptions of its usability influence their actions can be easier to calculate than ROI and more valuable in helping a company to make future business decisions.

Models of how a company’s actions impact business metrics have been around for more than 25 years. The most popular of these is the Service-Profit Chain, which Len Schlesinger and his colleagues published in 1994. This model, shown in Figure 1, demonstrates how key factors of a business influence other factors. The statistical relationships described in the Service-Profit Chain have been validated by over 518 different studies. UX professionals focus primarily on the External Service Value block in the model, of which usability is a part.

The Service-Profit Chain

The foundation of user-centered design is built on the premise that delivering a high-quality, usable, satisfying user experience, will have a significant impact on a company’s key performance metrics.

While most UX professionals agree with this assertion, very few companies have been able to demonstrate a statistically significant correlation between their products’ usability and the company’s performance.

We’ve reproduced a portion of the Service Profit Chain and verified it using statistical models at two companies. The research design is slightly different, but we’ve still found overall statistical support for this model at both companies. We believe that this model can provide value to other companies as well, as they strategize how best to demonstrate that UX teams and a user-centered design process can positively influence a company’s bottom line.

Modeling the Relationship Between Perception of Usability and Business Metrics at athenahealth

At athenahealth, beginning in January 2016, we conducted monthly perception surveys within the app. With more than 50,000 completed surveys over a two-year period, we combined our data with business metrics and established a clear, statistically significant, positive relationship from users’ perceptions of usability to two business metrics — both retention and referrals.

Our basic model focused on the same areas as the service-profit chain. Our goal is to see whether certain product characteristics such as ease of use can impact the business. However, as shown in the service-profit chain, this is not a direct relationship. The product has many aspects, all of which together create the users’ perception of the product.

We asked questions about both the ease of use and reliability of the product. Our users comment on both of these frequently, so we hypothesized that they were drivers of users’ overall satisfaction with the product. The statistical model supported this — that is, users’ perceptions of individual aspects of the product — such as ease of use and reliability — predict their overall satisfaction with the product.

We validated this model statistically, using several regression models — such as multiple linear regression and logistic regression — combined using mediation analysis. The results of using all of these models were statistically significant, with p<.000001 — in part because of the large size of the base datasets.

athenahealth’s validated model, correlating UX metrics to company KPIs. Specific numbers, including correlation coefficients, R-squared, and odds ratios, have been replaced with an X.

To be able to see the relationship between user experience and attrition and retention, it’s critical to reduce the amount of the noise by modelling multiple steps. For example, individual users’ ratings of ease of use would not directly predict referrals in a statistical model because there is so much more that goes into someone’s decision to make a referral than just ease of use. Thus, breaking the model into multiple steps helps isolate and remove some of the noise arising from all the other factors that the model doesn’t include — for example, customer support.

At athenahealth, we’ve used this model as a foundation to help support strategic decision making regarding user experience — for example, to prioritize where to invest more effort, to validate related metrics, to understand what users perceive as the company’s biggest opportunities, and more.

Measuring the Value of a UCD Process for an HCM and Payroll Company

In an earlier article on UXMatters, we (JD & co-authors) discussed our team’s UX measurement initiative for an enterprise HCM company’s payroll-compliance application, which meant first identifying our users’ top tasks. We then established a baseline for the current user experience by benchmarking at regular intervals, measuring differences in our users’ attitudes, behaviors, and processes while attempting to accomplish those top tasks. Surprisingly, task satisfaction and perceived time were not statistically correlated with overall satisfaction and overall usability. In other words, for each individual task, task time and user satisfaction were less significant factors in predicting users overall satisfaction with the product.

Collecting several measurable metrics — both after each task and at the end of every benchmark study — has yielded informative insights over the course of several studies. Our multimetric approach, which has allowed us to examine both task-level and overall metrics and gauge the impact of subsequent design iterations and releases on the user experience:

An sample of the metrics used by an HCM company’s UX measurement program

A common question we’ve heard when presenting our approach — both internally and externally to our organization — is: Why collect so many UX metrics? Shouldn’t one or two be enough? We’ve come to think of our efforts to measure our software user experience as similar to measuring a virtual experience economy. Much like those economic indicators, our indices of UX metrics can sometimes be leading, lagging, or coincident indicators of our users’ experience, as follows:

  • Leading UX metrics — Metrics such as success/failure or task ease/perceived difficulty can be early indicators. For example, they might provide a sense of how and why specific features do not provide our intended improvements to support users’ top tasks.
  • Lagging indicators — Metrics such as Net Promoter Score (NPS), overall satisfaction, System Usability Scale (SUS), and (Standardized User Experience Percentile Rank Questionnaire (SUPR-Q), including trust and credibility, may help us to better understand users’ sense of increasing value or frustration with an experience over time.
  • Coincident indicators — Metrics such as task satisfaction and time on task provide immediate measures of our users’ actual versus perceived experience.

In the same way as for measuring economic indicators, by compiling several UX metrics into indices, we can minimize some of the volatility and confusion that are associated with individual indicators and provide a more reliable measure.

Initially, we hypothesized that measurable connections between our UX teams’ efforts and our company’s key performance indicators (KPIs) would reflect correlations in similar UX metrics. We assumed that standard UX metrics such as improvements in task time and satisfaction would have the greatest influence on customer KPIs such as NPS as well as customer-support contacts. However, while improvements in our users’ experience do seem to impact our company’s performance metrics, we’ve discovered that the connection is more complex than we originally anticipated.

While we were running a series of statistical analyses, including linear regression, logistic regression, and analysis of variance, to uncover significant correlations between numerous metrics, a surprising model emerged. What did it reveal? We found a measurable correlation between a high-quality user experience and customer referrals. We were excited to discover that task-level metrics such as task success and task ease had the strongest correlation to UX metrics such as SUS and overall satisfaction, then to our product’s NPS.

As we’ve continued to search our data for statistically significant connections between task-level and overall UX metrics and company KPIs, across several comparison studies, we’ve started to think of these connections in terms of the model:

A proposed model, correlating UX metrics to company KPIs

To summarize, new releases of the user experience first had to better support users’ ability to complete their top tasks successfully, as well as end-to-end. Second, if those top tasks felt easier to complete, users were more likely to rate the experience as more satisfying and learnable. Finally, if an experience met these first two conditions, users were more likely to give the product a higher NPS rating.

Research suggests a strong relationship between NPS, revenue, and profits. However, especially at enterprise organizations where the quality of customer service can play a significant role in the end-to-end user experience, service quality can dramatically impact NPS scores. While our UX team has uncovered a statistically significant correlation between the task user experience and the NPS for our post-task product experience, we’ll need to conduct additional research to validate suggested correlations between the NPS for the user experience and our corporate NPS — and, therefore, revenue and profits.

Adapting This Model to Your Business

Many companies could adapt the model that we’ve described to their needs — perhaps by generalizing it slightly or simplifying it. Our four-step model breaks down the way users think and make decisions into measurements of four key areas, allowing you to use statistical modeling to explain how user experience impacts business metrics.

Our UX-Revenue Chain model

Both of our enterprise companies have found the insights that have surfaced encouraging — not only for our respective UX teams but also for the potential strategic opportunities it has revealed across the entire organization. We’re calling our collective discoveries and the model we’ve developed the UX-Revenue Chain. It has inspired discussions across organizational silos, regarding the importance of establishing who are a product’s primary users — as well as their top tasks and workflows — as an essential design and business-strategy approach.

Given both the benefits and challenges inherent in developing a UX measurement initiative and achieving the expected results, it is important to answer a few initial questions before attempting to follow this approach. The answers to the following questions can help you to determine whether your enterprise — or even a consumer organization — is ready to undertake this kind of initiative:

  • What is your organization’s level of UX maturity? What is its data maturity?
  • Does your executive leadership support a UX measurement initiative? How strong is that support?
  • Keeping in mind the longitudinal nature of this research, is your executive leadership willing to provide the time and budget for tools and resources to support this kind of strategic initiative?
  • Does your UX team currently have the skills, tools, and resources for this kind of endeavor?
  • Does the UX team have access to reliable past and current, raw, KPI data to support analysis?
  • Does leadership understand how to best utilize the insights from this kind of model in support of strategic decision making?
  • What is the best approach for communicating results across your organization to support actionable implementation and strategic execution?

While considering some of these questions before you even embark upon your UX measurement journey can seem overwhelming, it is essential that you gain alignment and support — both early and at regular intervals — to ensure the ongoing success of the effort.

One final note: Jeff Sauro, founding principal of the quantitative research firm, MeasuringU states: “Making a case for ROI is a good thing to help justify methods that should help the user and ultimately the organization’s bottom line. But don’t overstate or oversell your case. Understand the limits of your data. Both the metrics and methods affect the strength of your case for a return on investment.”

Derfuss, Klaus, Jens Hogreve, Anja Iseke, and Tonnjes Eller, “The Service-Profit Chain: A Meta-Analytic Test of a Comprehensive Theoretical Framework.” Journal of Marketing, May 2017.

Heskett, James L., Thomas O. Jones, Gary W. Loveman, W. Earl Sasser, Jr., and Leonard A. Schlesinger. “Putting the Service-Profit Chain to Work.” July-August 2008.

Sauro, Jeff, “The One Number You Need to Grow (A Replication).” MeasuringU, December 2018.

Sauro, Jeff, “10 Metrics To Track The ROI of UX Efforts.” MeasuringU September 1, 2015.


Scientists are the terms used for those persons who perform research day and night and use their knowledge gained to fabricate things that can bring a revolution for the entire human civilisation.

Today, every or the other form of technology is some scientist’s brainchild and the entire human race would always stay indebted to them. This article discusses majorly on 5 Best Scientists and Their Brief History who succeeded in bringing their visions into actions and hence setting the bar higher for the human race.

The list of the great scientists

The upcoming list presents about 5 Best Scientists and Their Brief History: –

 Nikola Tesla
Based in Serbia, Nikola Tesla is considered to be the greatest minds of
the human race due to his immense knowledge on the various fields of
science and technology. He had some other interesting hobbies like
memorizing any book completely within just one read, having a mastery
over 8 different languages, bringing his vision to action by just thinking
hard about the same etc. Many of his concepts were developed much
before the other scientists of the later times who worked on similar fields,
like his AC current concept before Edison realised about charges, his
concept of electromagnetic radiation used by Marconi, Roentgen, Watson
etc. Most of his ideas were not expressed by him openly due to plagiarism
factor but later turned out to be the inspirations for the other scientists.

 Albert Einstein
This German-based scientist is also one of the greatest minds to have
brought revolution in the concepts of the general relativity and re-
defining the concepts of the solar system. Considered as the man of the
century, his famous energy equation later turned out to be the basis for
the fabrication of a number of powerful bombs. His works on theoretical
physics re-defined and challenged various of the concepts that existed
during those days, like the Special Theory of Relativity or the
Photoelectric effect that later helped humanity to greater extents.

 Sir Issac Newton
The man behind the discovery of the gravitational force and gravity,
today’s Physics has majorly been shaped by him. Not only in Physics, but
he also had a stronghold in other fields like Mathematical modelling,
astronomy etc. His discovery of gravitation solved many questions related

to the same that surrounded during those days and even his discovery of
the reflecting telescope later formed the basis for discovery of other
astronomical instruments.

 Louis Pasteur
He is considered to be one of the Gods in the field of Medical Sciences,
due to his record-breaking discovery of the concept of immunization that
is saving a number of human lives in today’s times. His vaccines for
rabies and anthrax proved to be effective and his concept of fermentation
later became the basis of various dairy industries. He also had a good
hold in the field of Chemistry.

 Marie Curie
The first female to be awarded a Nobel Prize, her discovery of Radium is
what she is popularly known for. But apart from this, another of her
breakthrough includes the invention of the first mobile X-ray machine
that was used to check the injured soldiers in the battlefields. With her
major work based on the atomic sciences, she got the pet name of ‘
Mother of Atom Bomb.’


Old House Borer Beetles

Actual Size: 5/8″–1″

Characteristics: Dark, slightly flattened beetles with a lot of gray hairs on the body, two prominent black bumps, and wings covered with dusty white spots.

  • Attack soft, coniferous woods only, such as pine, fir, spruce, and hemlock.
  • Usually goes after stored lumber, meaning they are often introduced into homes or cabins as they are built.
  • Full-grown larvae can be heard boring in the wood as they make an identifiable ticking or gnawing sound.

Old House Borer Beetle Identification

Old house borer beetles are typically a dark gray to black color and have long antennae that are sometimes longer than the slightly flattened body. They have small gray hairs on the thorax as well as patches of gray hair on the wing covers. The prothorax behind the head has two raised and shiny black bumps. That said, it is important to know the identifying factors of the larvae, which are typically the stage in which old house borer beetles are found. The larvae is an off-white color with a bigger head capsule that is dark brown in color, on which three simple eyes can be seen when viewed from the front. They range in size from 3/4″–1 5/8″.

Old House Borer Beetle Behavior

In the adult stage, old house borer beetles emerge from infested wood in the late summer months and mate. The female finds cracks in untreated wood to lay up to 200 eggs inside of, which only take a week to hatch. After hatching, the larvae bore into the wood surrounding them and continue to feed until they reach a certain weight, which can take anywhere from 2–15 years. Once they’ve matured, they make their way to the surface, carving tunnels in the wood that leave oval-shaped holes and contain frass. After emerging from the wood, they will only live for up to 15 days once they’ve mated.

As mentioned previously, old house borer beetles seek out softer woods, which is why they are attracted to lumber found in lumber yards. Most people don’t realize the lumber used to build their house is infested until they notice the exit holes or hear the characteristic clicking noises of the larvae boring.

Are Old House Borer Beetles Dangerous?

Tunnels that are created by the larvae can inevitably weaken structural timbers, making old house borer beetles a threat to any building they inhabit. Lucky, infestations typically remain localized and can be dealt with. If a property is heated centrally and doesn’t have moisture problems from ventilation or poor drainage, infestations can be treated and reinfestations are unlikely. That said, areas of a property with a high humidity level may be more prone to re-infestation and are thus susceptible to more damage.

Old House Borer Beetle Prevention

If you notice the signs of borer beetles, such as exit holes, frass pellets, or boring noises, it’s important to call a professional to further inspect the infestation immediately. To avoid having to deal with old house borer beetles attacking your property, there are a number of things you can do:

If you are building a new structure, ensure the lumber has been kiln-dried and not left outdoors in the late summer months. Do not use old lumber that was possibly infected from another location, and never use wood that hasn’t been stored and dried correctly to avoid moisture issues.
Make sure to get a warranty from a builder or wood supplier against the pests.
Provide increased ventilation in damp areas.


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SAS Provides Public Security Solutions

Mounting data housed in numerouslocations, shrinking budgets andstretched resources can hindergovernment agencies from effectively utilising and managingall available information to proactively maintain public safety.

From local level law enforcement through to national security and border management, SAS has been enabling public security organisations to address such challenges. SAS? world leading public security solutions make sense of information by combining leading business analytics software and services with intelligence management, investigation, data fusion and search technologies. This enables our customers to optimise available resources by prioritising and responding to threats ? both strategically and in real-time ? in an automated, secure and scalable infrastructure.

Industry Solutions

National Security
Every country has a number of intelligence organisations focused on homeland security ? security of their foreign interests, counter terrorism and crime prevention. Irrespective of the makeup and design of these organisations, their challenge is clear: to convert data and intelligence into actionable information and to ensure that data is available to those who require it without compromising its security and integrity.

A reduction in threats to a country cannot be realised without a national security infrastructure that enables data to be collected, fused and converted into intelligence before being analysed and disseminated in a timely manner.

SAS is the world leader in providing this complete capability through our domain-specific solutions.

Law Enforcement
Law enforcement agencies globally are under pressure to achieve efficiencies by achieving more with less. The current economic climate means many agencies have to cope with budget cuts and reorganisation whilst delivering
an equal if not higher level of service to their customers. SAS offers a complete end to end law enforcement solution from intelligence and case management through to custody, property and prosecution phases of an investigation, enabling agencies to address these new challenges whilst optimising operational law enforcement needs.

Fusion Center
A Fusion Center is a terrorism prevention and response centre that enables information sharing between multiple agencies working to deter threats. The concept is now spreading across the globe as a vital front line resource in the fight against terror.

The SAS® Fusion Center solution helps prevent and disrupt criminal activity through the generation of strategic, tactical and investigatory insight looking across a vast number of data sources and types. Furthermore, utilising a highspeed federated search approach, combined with powerful data management capabilities, a real-time single view of the suspect can be achieved without compromising civil liberties.

Border Management
With international travel being commonplace, securing a country?s borders from multiple and diverse threats becomes increasingly challenging. An effective border management solution enables the seamless information flow between stakeholders, facilitating movement of legitimate travellers whilst identifying and risk-assessing the undesirable. SAS offers a secure and integrated solution that facilitates and strengthens the existing security infrastructure through collaboration, automation and complex risk profiling, deployed both strategically and operationally.

SAS® Public Security Framework

The SAS® Public Security Framework provides industry leading software to related agencies around the world. SAS
is the only software vendor to offer a completely integrated platform of solutions, keeping implementation costs down whilst still allowing for the delivery of a tailored solution that fits the customer?s local and specific needs. The solutions are based on a multi-vectored approach to obtaining and sharing information. This enables the querying and storing of information at multiple levels, from creating Single Person Record profiles from multiple sources to identifying patterns across disparate data sources and types.

Key Benefits
? Reliable, strategic, tactical and operational insight.
? Optimise resources through operational efficiencies and intelligence-led resource deployment decisions.
? Faster identification, prioritization and mitigation of new and changing threats.
? Revelation of vital intelligence links, patterns and sequences
? Earlier identification and prioritization of threats and suspicious activity
? Improved interagency and intergovernmental information sharing.
? Increased safety and reduced risk for personnel in the field
? Enhanced community engagement
? Transparency and accountability that meets the expectations of government agencies and citizens
? A modular approach built on an iIntegrated platform means low entry costs and low risk deployment.
 SAS® Facts
? SAS technology is used in more than 160 Public Security organisations in over 80 countries
? SAS Fusion Centre solution is used more widely than any other vendor?s solution

The SAS® Difference
? A single and extensible enterprise framework. Unlike niche providers, SAS is the only vendor that offers an integrated platform of capabilities that supports strategic, tactical and operational activities:
? Data management to manage and fuse a deluge of data. SAS is the only vendor to offer a comprehensive environment combining data integration, data quality and master data management capabilities together with a scalability to analyse petabytes of data from any source.
? An unsurpassed offering of advanced analytics and visualistion capabilities, enabling agencies to identify and
understand threats, develop necessary response strategies and optimize resources.
? An intelligence management suite that makes actionable intelligence a part of every decision.
? Domain expertise. SAS provides not only a world leading solution but also the approach and subject-matter expertise to effectively address mission critical challenges in the broad public security arena.

In Summary
SAS® Public Security solutions are designed to be customisable to reflect local organisational, legislative and jurisdictional requirements. They automate and streamline activities as well as reduce an agency?s dependence on IT to generate information, freeing up users to work on higher value activities.

They also help to identify threats earlier, prioritising them to ensure the most effective use of resources.
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Syria: U.S.-led airstrikes kill dozens of Assad regime’s soldiers

Syria: U.S.-led airstrikes kill dozens of Assad regime's soldiers

U.S.-led coalition jets bombed a position for Assad regime forces at Jebel Tharda near Deir Ezzor airport on Saturday, killing dozens of Assad regime’s soldiers, Russia and a war monitor said, paving the way for Islamic State to briefly overrun it.

The strike was in an area the coalition had attacked in the past, and coalition members had informed their Russian counterparts before it began, the U.S. military’s Central Command said in a statement.

“Coalition forces believed they were striking ISIS (Islamic State) fighting position that they had been tracking for a significant amount of time before the strike,” Tampa, Florida-based Central Command said in its statement.

The defense ministry in Russia said U.S. jets had killed more than 60 Assad regime’s soldiers in four air strikes by two F-16s and two A-10s coming from the direction of Iraq.

The ministry said the strikes had been carried out between 5pm-5:50pm local time.

Russia’s Defence Ministry said that if the coalition bombing was a mistake, it was evidence of Washington’s “stubborn refusal” to coordinate its actions with Russia’s government.

“Syria is a complex situation with various military forces and militias in close proximity, but coalition forces would not intentionally strike a known Syrian military unit,” U.S. officials said.

Moscow called for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council to discuss the deadly air strikes.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a monitoring group with contacts across the country, cited a military source at Deir Ezzor airport as saying that at least 80 Assad reigme’s soldiers had been killed in the strike.

The Observatory said that Russian jets had been conducting bombing in the area at the same time, and that violent clashes took place afterwards between Islamic State and the Assad reigme forces  around the position.

Islamic State said in a statement on its Amaq news channel that it had gained “complete control” over Jebel Tharda but both Syrian state television and Russian state media said the positions lost to the militant group were later recaptured.

Assad regime’s forces control Deir Ezzor airport and parts of the city which are otherwise entirely surrounded by territory held by Islamic State.

The U.S. military, in an apparent admission that it may have hit the position, said in a statement that coalition air strikes near Deir Ezzor had been halted when Russia told coalition officials they may have hit the Assad regime’s forces.


Editor’s Note: NGI’s Mexico Gas Price Index, a leader tracking Mexico natural gas market reform, is offering the following column as the first in a regular series on understanding this process, written by Eduardo Prud’homme.

Prud’homme was central to the development of Cenagas, the nation’s natural gas pipeline operator, an entity formed in 2015 as part of the energy reform process. He began his career at national oil company Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex), worked for 14 years at the Energy Regulatory Commission (CRE), rising to be chief economist, and from July 2015 through February served as the ISO Chief Officer for Cenagas, where he oversaw the technical, commercial and economic management of the nascent Natural Gas Integrated System (Sistrangas).

The opinions and positions expressed by Prud’homme in the following column do not necessarily reflect the views of NGI’s Mexico Gas Price Index.

Among many factors that explain last year’s electoral defeat of the political group that promoted the opening of the energy sector is the failure of that promise. An abrupt increase in the price of gasoline in January 2017 -- the "gasolinazo" -- caused widespread anger and invalidated the energy reform in the eyes of the public. The advances and benefits that were achieved as a result of the reform became invisible, its relevance limited to specialized groups.

In the gas sector, the creation of an independent organization such as pipeline operator Centro Nacional de Control del Gas Natural (Cenagas) and the substantial growth in the length and capacity of the gas pipeline network that runs through the country have also gone largely unnoticed.

But the changes have been crucial and vast. For the first time, decades after the opening to private investment in 1995, the main pipeline system in Mexico offers open access to third parties, firm capacity is being assigned through an open season, and the decoupling of the molecule and transport services (unbundling) has been achieved.

Although perfectible, general terms and conditions for transport have been applied effectively, limiting discretionary treatment of users by providing clarity in their rights and obligations, thus creating an even playing field for the entry of gas suppliers. The transportation service offered by Cenagas as the manager of the national Sistrangas pipeline system is programmed in cycles of nomination and confirmation that follow North American Energy Standards Board (NAESB) practices, while information relevant to users is now published frequently in an electronic bulletin board (EBB).

Incentives are in place to attract marketers that allow end users to have different supply options to state oil company Petróleos Mexicanos (Pemex). This unbundling is focused on providing buyers with the option of contracting directly with Cenagas a maximum daily quantity (MDQ) of gas, which becomes an asset that gives supply certainty and offers flexibility to optimize use through a secondary market.

If you add to this the growth of the gas pipeline system that now spans 15,000 kilometers, with global capacity of almost 15 Bcf/d and coverage that leaves only four of the 32 states of the country without access to natural gas, Mexico has before it an unprecedented opportunity to use natural gas as a lever for growth, development and wellbeing, goals that are also part of the aspirations of the current government of Andrés Manuel López Obrador. However, as mentioned, these advances are little known.

This invisibility represents an important risk to the country, especially if an effort is not made to highlight the possibilities offered by the legal framework and the splendid conditions present in the market. The determined pursuit of “energy sovereignty” by the current government could actually hinder the design of a solid energy security strategy that diversifies sources of energy supply.

Allowing Pemex and state power company Comisión Federal de Electricidad (CFE) to be the main actors in preparing and executing the expansion plans of the gas network, and thus leaving aside private participation in decision-making, can lead to sub-optimal solutions that do not resolve congestion and, worse still, could leave consumers unattended.

Limiting the independence of Cenagas as operator of the Sistrangas can make open access ineffective, inhibit competition and leave state companies as the only agents with the possibility of anchoring new pipelines. Failure to encourage unbundling favors the hoarding of large intermediaries and limits the potential benefit of having access to different production basins in Texas and Mexico.

The first measure to mitigate this risk is through information dissemination among agents and stakeholders. As long as the public knows that it has more options than it had a couple of years ago, it is likely to be interested and involved in not losing those options.

But information must also spread out to the big players in the neighboring market of the United States too. Producers and marketers in Texas must understand that there are already options to get their production to consumers in Mexico, and that the gas supply chain does not necessarily require Pemex as an intermediate step. It is pertinent that gas suppliers, producers and marketers understand that leaving the comfort of the Pemex and CFE monopsonies can lead them to sophisticated customers sensitive to price differences for whom the continuity of service is a priority.

There are three additional points that are crucial to get across for the natural gas market in Mexico to flourish.

The first has to do with energy security. It is important to demonstrate that this idea of dependence on U.S. natural imports as being dangerous is a fallacy. There will be no political circumstance that prevents the continuous flow of gas from the United States to Mexico because cutting off supply represents an economic loss that producers and marketers are not willing to accept. In this regard, producers and marketers that deliver gas from Texas are allies of the Mexican government.

The second has to do with Pemex and CFE. It is important to convey a clear message that Texas' natural gas supply, private participation in pipeline development and commercial intermediation activities are not a threat to Pemex; they are a source of complementary services and goods. There is nothing reprehensible in the idea of the new government in visualizing Pemex as a public policy tool as long as the rules of coexistence between actors are clear and given certainty. In summary, the industry should send a clear message of collaboration but strongly ask for clarity on rules and policies.

The third point has to do with the principal message of the new Mexican government, which gives it legitimacy within the Mexican population, and that has to do with the fight against poverty and corruption. The gas industry must make an emphatic commitment to the principles of transparency, accountability and fair competition. A coherent message about the free market as a way to defeat opaque practices must be developed, along with the idea that efficiency as a result of competition can contribute significantly to reduce poverty. Finally, an open gas market can promote investment, job creation and the general affordability of the basic energy basket.

Disseminating knowledge on both sides of the border may allow all of us see that we are not a danger to one another but instead a clustering of good coincidences that provide multiple opportunities to everyone involved.


Maximum Number of Subliminals to Use

I’ve been looking around the forums but I couldnt find an exact answer so here goes.

Is there a MAXIMUM number of subliminals I can have on my playlist as I play and forget ? If there isn’t what is the number of subliminals one can listen to before the length of time in which one would see increase dramatically ?

How long should I listen to make the effects of the subliminal permanent?

For now, I’m planning something along the lines of Limitless, Mogul Ascension or Emperor and the gaming subliminal (in the future perhaps another skill sub or switching to the Sex+Seduction trio stack)

There isn’t a maximum, but the general rule of thumb is 2-3. When @Fire and I first conceived the idea, we originally wanted users to be able to stack as many as they liked, but now users are starting to report diminished effects when stacking two major programs. This is something we’ll have to evaluate soon. Right now, I recommend testing to see how your mind responds.

As for permanency, here’s the thing — the subconscious is not a static entity, it is always changing, always observing, always responding to stimuli. To direct your life the way you want, you will always have to engage in some sort of self-development. The longer you run the subliminals, the more your new reality becomes your permanent reality. However, once you stop, it’s inevitable that you will experience fading of effects as outside stimuli affects you. That’s why I recommend set and forget method. I’m blessed enough to have a girlfriend that completely supports subliminals and was a former skeptic until she experienced it herself, so the set and forget method has no issues. If you have a live in partner, perhaps you could try to get them on board to take this journey with you.

Would Limitless be considered a Major Program? I always looked at is as a supplemental program for a Major Program. I was planning on getting Ascended Mogul and Gaming Mastery, run these two programs with Limitless in a playlist for about half a year and then move on to a different playlist consisting of Emperor, the Sex and Seduction series and a Fighting Subliminal, too ambitious or just enough ? Thanks again for replying Saint !

Definitely a major program, but you can stack it.

3 is where I’d put a sort of limit for major programs, but you can always experiment. Everyone has different abilities to process and manifest - same as different people can bench press different weights when starting out.

Perhaps you can only run 1 subliminal right now with good results. Perhaps you can run 4 right now and get good results from all of them. Perhaps after a few years you’ll be able to run even more.

Try it, if it’s too spread out, go down to 2 subliminals. Keep in mind that they are kinda in different areas - if it becomes problematic, take one out.

Experiment, see what works with you.

Good luck. :slight_smile:


READ ME: You and your hormones

“Is it your time of the month?”

Ugh…. THAT PHRASE…. I think every woman can both identify with it and hate it in equal measure.

Maybe we hate it a little bit cause it might be hitting a nerve somewhere? Shush we won’t tell anyone.

Hormonal imbalances affect many of us as women and can manifest themselves in so many ways that unfortunately don’t just affect our “time of the month”.

Symptoms of hormonal imbalances are varied and can include some of the following; mood swings, painful/prolonged periods, acne, weight gain, fatigue, low libido and infertility to name but a few.

But there is good news. There is a plethora of resources you can use to help balance those pesky hormones and the most useful of those involve simple changes to both your diet and lifestyle.

Ready to balance those hormones?? Lets get started.

Firstly focus on stress management.

Yes we all know that stress is bad for us but why is stress specifically bad for our female hormones?

When we are suffering from hormonal issues it can suggest a degree of estrogen dominance.

Estrogen dominance basically means we either produce too much estrogen or we have too much estrogen in comparison to progesterone.

Our bodies are very clever though and always want to maintain a balance between the two. If we aren’t producing enough progesterone from our ovaries we start to produce more from our adrenals (stress) glands.

This of course puts more pressure on our adrenals glands which are probably already getting a battering from the busy stressful lives we are leading already.

Prioritise stress management by engaging in some self-care. If you need some self care ideas check out our blog post all about easy ways to implement self care.

Support your liver.

Modern lifestyles are unfortunately not conducive to helping support the liver but it is one of the most important things for helping us balance hormones.

Your liver is responsible for metabolizing hormones and helping get them ready to move out of our bodies. If our livers aren’t functioning optimally they can become overworked and overloaded resulting in the symptoms discussed above.

Help make the work of the liver easier by including lots of foods that can support it such as green leafy vegetables like kale, rocket and spinach and cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower.

 Get things moving. Literally.

At the risk of getting too personal how often are you doing number two’s??

It might not be something you think about too often but it’s so important when it comes to balancing female hormones. Once your liver has metabolised those hormones they need to be excreted…. quite simply if you aren’t pooping they aren’t getting out.

Try and include lots of fibre rich foods in your diet to ensure you are emptying your bowel at least once per day.

Fibre rich foods include all vegetables and fruits (especially apples and root vegetables), oats and whole grains.

You should be aiming for 30g per day but remember if you are starting from a low base to increase it gradually over time and increase your water intake at the same time to avoid any digestive issues.

PMS and other female hormone related symptoms do not need to be part of normal life…. try out some of the suggestions above and let us know how you get on.

We always love hearing from you. What other content would you like us to cover?

Don’t forget we are offering a really simple way for you to destress quickly and easily at our Connect and Calm series we are running during the summer.

Our first event is on May 9th in Bewleys on Grafton Street.

We would love to meet you there.

Lauren Healy


Best Ancient Civilizations

The Top Ten

1 Ancient Greece

-The musical notation system that we use everywhere in the world
-Epic poetry
-The science of philosophy
-Development of Mathematics
-Automatic doors
-Diving bells
-First alphabet with vowels
-Hippocratic Oath
-Science of history
-Science of Anthropology
-Coined money
-The Olympic ...more

Very deserving of the first place spot. Perhaps one of the most fascinating and beautiful civilizations to exist. By the way, please visit Greece at least once in your life. Easily my favourite place in the world.

V 215 Comments
2 Ancient Georgia

Its very old nation and very old country

The bravest nation in the world

The oldest in the country, state and the ancient tradition.

Georgia is the homeland of vine. This tiny, ancient country has a rich colture, foreign friendly, amazing and great!

V 382 Comments
3 Ancient Egypt

Dude, Egypt should be number ONE! They've just provided so much to the world. Lemme see where I can start and end.
First centralized civilization, luggages, boomerangs, oldest topographical map, writing, paper, pen, black ink, different colored inks, Egyptian blue, World's first Alchemist, nilometer, shaduf, irrigation, dams and reservoirs, the alphabet, padlock, toothpaste, oldest surgical instruments, glass making, ramp, lever, pulleys, prosthetics, breath mints, braces, first plastic surgery, Automatic moving statues, water wheels, noria, mathematixs(deserves it own wiki, an example is story problems and geometry), astronomy( deserves its wiki), oldest known door, oldest clothing, world's first clocks, world's first police, first ship. Even in military, the Egyptians contributed in a very important sector which is the navy and first warships. First philosopher, naming the organs of the body both external and internal, ox drawn plow, world's first condoms, world's first ...more

Ancient Egypt deserve number one spot. Recent studies have shown they have the oldest known port in the world. On top of that people forget how Rome and Greece were influenced by Egypt. Pythagoras studied in Egypt for 22 years. Plato also studied in Egypt. Ancient Egypt was the first centralised civilisation. The pyramids are a testimony of their engineering skills. The oldest medical school is from Ancient Egypt. In law, it was the ancient Egyptians who invented Wills to be read by lawyers upon the demise of an individual, divorce proceedings, marriage contract, estate or land property rights and the Police. The oldest topographical map is from Ancient Egypt. In science, the ancient Egyptians used the system of aerodynamics to invent world's first ship and sails. Recent archaeology has a questioning remark as to if they sailed to Australia since hieroglyphs were discovered there.
They invented geometry, decimal system and other topics in maths. They were able to create our modern ...more

Simply the best ancient civilization.

V 153 Comments
4 Ancient Rome

Ultimately national security ...more

The Romans were way ahead of their time. While most citizens of the world were out and about living in huts and eating wild animals and stuff, the city of Rome was already dealing with building height regulations (buildings had to be limited to 6 floors), traffic jams, and problems with indoor plumbing. Instead of a feudalist like society found anywhere else in the world, where you would die in the same status you were born in, you could be a simple soldier in Rome and become a Senator, a simple baker and become filthy rich. You could live in modern day Spain or Egypt or Bulgaria and still be a Roman citizen. They had an advanced highway system, the likes of which are comparable to the interstate system, war machines in use even 1,000 years after Rome, and after the fall of Rome Europe couldn't recover for another millennia. The effects of this civilization are felt today all over the Western World. - JustAnAccount

Rome: 753BC-509BC: kingdom, 509-27BC: republic, 27BC-395AD: united empire, 395-480AD: western roman empire, 395-1453: Eastern roman empire.

Let's not forget the Pax Romana, a 200 year golden age of Europe (27BC-180AD), where the roman empire brought peace on a never seen before scale to the world. During this time, justice and law was brought to Europe. Almost all of the provinces never experienced war, except for Britain, Judea and Syria. And even then, Romans quickly brought things back under control. They also expanded the known world, trading with the Irish, all the way to the Chinese.

Not only that, but women in the empire also had a new power. They were able to own businesses, lead shipping companies, and pretty much everything else but the military and politics, (and even then several wormed their way into them.) we even have a few records of female surgeons!

The roman empire brought technology to a new levels. They had aqueducts dozens of kilometers long, ...more

V 90 Comments
5 Ancient India

World's oldest university takshashila (700 bce) was in india

Max ...more

It used to be one of the richest civilizations in the world

V 162 Comments
6 Ancient China

Although China was lagging behind of Europe and America in a few of recent centuries, China was far ahead of other civilizations in term of science, economy and social management. They invested the paper and languages to record the history, the silk for covering our bodies, china and chop-stickers to eat our meals properly, and cultivate so many of plants to feed our human, and hundreds of inventions, most important, they gave their knowledge free to the rest of world.

V 73 Comments
7 Persia

Persia is an important part of history, this civilization is one of the main reasons were as evolved in human rights and equality as we are. History isn't just the countries still existing, its about who and what has impacted our past and researching and acknowledging it. I can't believe more people voted for GEORGIA! they were probably just looking that it was American and that it made a lot of money, but what about culture, tradition and impact.Persia has made the human race better and if you just look around you, you can obviously just see its effect on us, without places like that we would be heartless caveman, do you really want that, GEORGIA (i don't like Georgia as you can tell).

V 89 Comments
8 The Spartans

Sparta is Greece but this is like a tribe and they were amazing they also had the greatest greek hero ever achilles

V 30 Comments
9 Aztec Empire

The Aztecs had some of the best ancient technology in the world!

This is my favorite empire they are sooo interesting

V 19 Comments
10 Inca Empire

Often overlooked, as most of the empire was consumed by the jungle (which is a wonder, how did they cultivate and build in the harshest jungles in the world in the first place? ). We still have much to learn from them. - JustAnAccount

A culturally rich empire because assimilated many cultures, their socioeconomically and political system was very developed making the Inca empire very organize for their time. In times where in other parts of world suffered from starvation, the Incas had food reserves for the bad times making their population virtually impervious to hunger or famine. They had a tax system called the "mita" which was a labor tax system. The Inca empire covered a very large geographical area, in fact the largest in the Americas and included countries such Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Chile and Argentina. They had a very develop system of canals and aqueducts that provided with irrigation and filtered water to their population. They probably were one of a very few develop ancient civilizations that did not communicate with writing (because they did not know it) but an alternative way to store communication called the "Quipus". Their constructions are (still standing) are out fo this world.

V 23 Comments

The Contenders

11 The Huns/Mongols

When it comes to size... - JustAnAccount

V 11 Comments
12 Ancient Macedonia

Ancient Macedonia was not Ancient Greece - it was hellenistic, or an imitation of Greek culture. Alexander the Great led the Macedonian empire, and was able to claim the largest empire in history, spanning from Greece, all the way to India. If Alexander's soldiers hadn't grown tired of war, and hadn't wanted to go back to their families, Alexander would probably have been able to conquer even more.

Ancient Macedonia was Greek.

Macedonia was greek go vote for ancient Greece instead

V 16 Comments
13 Babylonian Empire

They're cool

Absolutely most influential. Babylonian ideals developed our western religions, philosophies, stories, science, etc. The Greeks were indebted to them, as Alexander noted.

Thought 360 days per year thus 360 degrees in a circle
plus super ingenuitive
plus awesome walls covered in mosaics

I learned about Mesopotamia in class and they were very advanced, should be #1

V 12 Comments
14 Ancient Mayan

Yes the mayan people was some of the best civilization. They are consider scientists

I'm studying this and this civilization is the best

I love this civilization

Mayans, a civilization wiped out so swiftly by the savage europeans before they could prove how impressive their work has been on civil engineering, mathematics, astronomy, agriculture. Mayans with their great cities and histories were wiped out and it's achievements, culture and ancient past completely forgotten and obliterated.

V 18 Comments
15 Ancient Turkey

Yes Turkey

Turks have established 18 empires throughout their history, have conquered all of the known world, and the west has had to make up alternative narratives to curtail Turkish nationalism from reemerging in its greatness and dominating Middle East and Europe in the 20th century. The most significant legacy in most of Central Asia, Black Sea and Eastern Europe is of Turkish origin. The world has never known more powerful and benevolent conquerors than the Turks, and the Turks will soon rise again in their ferocious glory.

To conquer other countries, appropriation of other cultures and history, destruction of other nations can not be proud of the nation, which claims to be civilized.

Hello I like Turkey and uh.. TurkeyS

V 13 Comments
16 Scandinavia in Viking Times

Should be number 1. Absolutely amazing and brutal. The most powerful civilization in their time.

Like the Mongols, went around raiding stuff until they were huge - JustAnAccount

V 21 Comments
17 Ancient Japan

Wow so surprised that Japan is so high ranked even more than Korea.
You've got all your cultures from them don't you? You've got no cultures at all before Korea brought for you. You had no proper clothes (That's why Kimono is not even sewed properly), no china... How come you can say you have "culture"?
All your culture you think that is "Japanese" are actually from China or Korea.
Even Sashimi. Korean started to eat them first. You guys are just good at fudging people.

I think ancient japa is one of the most interesting civilizations, I hesitated between egypt and japan, but japan is the one that was the most honorable (in my opinion)

V 24 Comments
18 Umayyad Caliphate

Well the end of the Umayyad caliphate was that they were living like kings instead of religious leaders

One of the most great era of Muslims. They have the great scientist, philosphers, warriors, docters, tecnology of that time like manginiac. They ruled about aone thousand year at entire world.

19 Assyrian Empire

Known to have been one of the first civilizations to follow Christianity, most technologically advanced with more than one world wonder in their history

I'm learning about the Assyrian Empire in school. The Assyrians used ziggurats to worship their gods and held religious ceremonies to make food sacrifices. Note- they did not make human sacrifices- that's good!

They did invent Libraries

Very influential civilization, recent archeology shows that the hanging gardens may actually have been Assyrian not Babylonian

V 3 Comments
20 Ancient Atlantis

not real

Atlantis is the 49th state

Atlantis is real don't cha know?!?

Atlantis was the most advanced civilization EVER to exist, current included - you don't even know...

V 4 Comments
21 Germanic Tribes

The Germanic Tribes where the only people to beat Rome.

Germanic tribes defeated rome

The Germans actually were the first astronomers look up the goseck circle and the Nebraska sky disk you will see

22 Indus Valley Civilization

Indus valley most advanced of old civilizations. I daresay better than Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece, Chinese, Turks, Japan, Tibet, Mongols, and even the bloody Romans. I think it is even superior to 17th century and 18th century England (Indus Valley had toilets). It should be a civilization to be remembered for all time and history.

The Indus Valley was extremely advanced with their water and sewer systems. They learned to trap the water every year during the flood and use it all year for drinking water and to water crops. They mysteriously disappeared and still no one knows what happened to them. Pretty cool.

I love this civilization. It was one of greatest civilized place.

Part of Ancient India.

V 2 Comments
23 Ancient Armenia

This Country Has a History older than ROME Empire.
even a capital of Armenia was founded on the territory of modern-day Yerevan in 782 because by Argishti I

The Christian faith has preserved the nation of Armenia

V 23 Comments
24 The Huns

The huns was good in hunting they were winner where when they versus ancient egypt

25 Akkadian Empire

The first Empire of Mesopotamia and was ruled by Sargon of Akkad. He himself is very powerful ruler.

The First empire to ever exist (so far) and created the first proper administration and organized force in the world, and it doesn't surprise us that it started in the mid-east.

Very good love it

26 Ancient Mesopatamia

Wheel inventors how the frick is this so low

They have such an interesting variety of inventions because of the war

It is very civilised and had the first written language half a millenium before heiroglyphics

It is spelled Mesopotamia not mesopatamia - lbelle0527

V 8 Comments

The Minnesota Vikings are the best ancient civilization. They built amphitheaters to rival the Romans! A lot more comfortable too. Just sad they never figured out how to do gladiator fights. Maybe they don't have enough slaves. - virtuallyvirtuous

Is this for real? lol

It a pirate and they usually sail steal people staff

V 11 Comments
28 Ancient Syria

Lebanon should be above Syria

29 Songhai Empire

I bet most of you added Civilization 5 civilizations - SirSkeletorThe3rd

30 Ancient Israel

Probably, the only ancient civilization, which continuously exists until nowadays, keeping its religion, language, and most of territory.

The only ancient civilization to exist today. - Rjupudi18

Introduced free healthcare in the form of hospitals, Baghdad was once the largest city in the world, famous for astrology, mathematics (where algebra came from), and knowledge with the first public libraries. Welcomed religions from all over the world to live as one. A city ahead of its time

One of the most incredible nations in the world especially the tale of its fall and its establishment as a independent nation.

V 10 Comments
31 Ancient Spain (Andalusia)

The country's soil is fertilized because the crops of that time are still grown today

Spain was one of the conquistadors of the world. HEHEHEHEHEHE. Its true. It had many colonies. Even near the American borders.

32 Ancient Africa

Ancient Africa has a lot of interesting art and archeological finds. Ancient Africa should be one of the top ten! Although it is kind of boring as most of the artifacts were pieces of art and fabric/clothing designs.

Basically, human evolution started in Africa so it should be in the top ten. I think it's really important.

The world owes it being to Africa, the mother of absolutely all civilizations. There could be no Rome, Israelite, Greek or any other civilization with the great ancient civilizations of Africa

I also wrote this

V 2 Comments

They ran from almost France to the pacific in a window of only 20 years, epic.

Conquered one 5th of the world

They pretty much covered half of the world with there civilization.

It was a good civilization

34 Carthage

Despite being located in an area surrounded by savage groups, Carthage managed to domesticate elephants, take over Spain, defeat the Gauls, climb Europe's highest mountains, and nearly defeat Rome under the rule of Hannibal Barca.

Hannibal was part of it plus they had a great navy and elephants and nearly defeated Rome! And Rome only one because Scipio learned tactics off Hannibal

Carthage was the strongest mediterranean civilization in termes of economy architecture military and naval navigation the port of carthage "located in tunis now" is one of the most wonderful structures ever also it's the first civilization to use showers; sewers system; heating and soap also the fisrt building to have more than one story is in carthage
Carthage was the first New York in the world

35 Ancient France

Why is France here?

This should be #1!

France isn't a civilization its called GAUL!

France isn't a civilization at all its called GAUL!

It should be 200!

V 6 Comments
36 Ancient Lebanon

It should be in top 10 with no doubts!

It should be at the top, we shaped this world. We invented the alphabet. Europe was name after a phoenician princess. We were the greatest traders in history.

Phoenicians, from the country that was called Phoenicia, were the first people to create tone alphabet, they named "Europe", invented transparent glass, had the first human rights and freedom political regime (similar to democracy, and Byblos (a city in Lebanon) is the oldest city in the world. Enough said.

I honestly think that the Phoenicians should have been in the top 10 because of the great things they have achieved. Thank you for adding it to the list

V 6 Comments
37 Sumerian Civilization

Although Egyptian history is older researching the civilization that created a written language gives us deeper incite to Egyptian history as well as digging into the stories of the the bible.

So the civilization that set the foundation for our modern society is #43? Unbelievable. - THC13

The Sumerian civilization is one of the greatest... We learn a lot from them, so please vote because it deserves to be on top 10.

Oldest civilization! or so my school taught us

V 4 Comments

Ethiopia was never ever colonized by a European power or anybody else. Only invaded by one. But existing for thousands of years and not being invaded is way cool.

We're's Ethiopia? You basically listed the most famous countries.

I am sad to see the list of Axumite Civilization 48th on this site.It must be listed on the top 4 civilizations of the world.

I agree! Ethiopia is a great civilization!

V 3 Comments
39 Ancient Pakistan

This should be called ancient indian muslims

IT was great civilization of Pakistan. this civilization had all characteristics of civilization like sense of value, reason, creativity, politeness and individualism. this civilization is the example of Androgymy.

Lol... Civilization of Pakistan... Ha ha ha.. Pakistan came into existence after 1947 and prior to this, it was known as part of India.

Coolest civilization It had the hardest to learn writing and no one knows what they wrote

V 10 Comments
40 Ancient Carthage

This should be number 1 in Africa, Carthage is situated in the coast of North Africa, in what is now Tunisia. It developed into a significant trading empire throughout the Mediterranean, and was seen as home to a wealthy and brilliant civilization. After a long conflict with the emerging civilisation of Ancient Rome, known as the Punic Wars, during which advantage shifted from one side to the other and Hannibal conducted a campaign in Italy after first crossing the Alps

The tactical genius of Hannibal still studied in our time.

Best Civilization Ever it should be number 1

The entire country (Tunisia) should be ranked high amongst ancient civilizations. There is not a single place that you my visit in Tunisia that doesn’t boast of some historical heritage.

41 Armenian Empire

If one looks back in ancient history, one would find that Armenia was a kingdom which encompassed most of Turkey, Iran, Iraq, and Syria among others. That gentleman was right, it's much older than France. A. Vosnian.

Ancient Turkey, France... Are you kidding me?
Armenian is much older from these civilizations! - vahaghakobyan

Yerevan the oldest capital in the world

You don't know anything about Armenia,you are just empty.Armenia is more ancient than very very countryes you have written...

42 Ancient Korea

YEAH! When there wasn't a stupid cult country with some leader called Kim. Everyone in the north of the country probably had more human rights.

Everyone! 1 Think of Gangnam Style and Gentleman!

Also, Korean history is long with many conflicts with the Chinese, and the Korean were able to defeat China and Japan!

It grew up to have the fastest internet in the world GO Korea!

The complex history between the 3 kingdoms was interesting an important to the future of Korea. Baekje, Gorgoryeo, and Silla were important, and well as the achievements of the Goryeo dynasty.

V 1 Comment
43 Ancient Australia (Aboriginal)

Great peoples, not really a Civilization though

The Indigenous Australians produced beautiful artworks and had a much better understanding of Australia than the white settlers. They were able to use basic tools for complex situations, such as navigation, hunting and warfare

My Country

Oldest civilisation still standing. 50000 years.

44 Roman Republic

I like cats

V 1 Comment
45 Minoan Civilization

The Minoans had a very advanced civilization for their time. Lavish palaces with the first flush toilets, plumbing very similar to our own and sewer systems in the streets. Advanced art. Advanced commerce. Many historians say they were atlantis as their island was destroyed by an eruption followed by a tsunami.

You are just supporting the greeks that is why you are down at 38 and they are at #2 which should be #1.

The Minoans were the smartest early civilization in the world

V 2 Comments
46 Ancient Mesoamerica
47 Ancient Illyria

Smh they're 50th? They should be damn higher! they're one of the oldest if not the oldest civilization in Europe. They are still alive today, Albania

Than why is it #43? If Ancient Illyria is so great? It is older than the actual greek civilization, present proof, than I will be interested?

They've had quite the wise leaders such as Agron, Teuta, etc. They were strong warriors according to several reliable websites. They are also quite mysterious due to some lack of discoveries about them which makes them even more interesting.

Reliable websites? The most reliable is if you are there, which you clearly weren't.

V 3 Comments
48 Jerusalem in BC

The golden dome of dome of the rock is a landmark in the modern day city of Jerusalem

The dome of gold is the best dome I have ever seen

Me and Jerusalem go way way back. We're like brothers. It should definitely be the best

I think Jerusalem needs to be number 1 mate

V 2 Comments
49 The Muslims

The Muslims conquered North Africa, the Middle East, and even parts of Europe. An unstoppable fighting force that threatened the West and defended their cities well during the Crusades.

They started the crusades, do you know how many people died?

They should not be at the bottom of the list, and Muslims had many empires not just one, and Islam is the religion that Muslims around the world follow. " The Muslim empire is not a real thing, it would be called Ummayad or Abbassid Caliphate. These are two different empires but both of them had a Muslim majority.

You people always bring in your religion
your civilisation never existed
but yes... you destroyed many of civilisations

V 1 Comment
50 Dacians

The Dacians had 3 wars with the Roman Empire and the Romans only conquered 15% of Dacia plus Dacia only lost 1 war ONLY 1

Why are they on 60? They should be in top 20

They should be in top 10

They should on the top 3

V 1 Comment
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