Latest news with #guides
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Born on One of These 4 Dates? You're Divinely Guided by Ancestors
Born on One of These 4 Dates? You're Divinely Guided by Ancestors originally appeared on Parade. Spiritually, we are all connected to ancestors, guides, and guardian angels who accompany us throughout our lives. However, some individuals are more receptive to wisdom from higher realms than others. Those who are spiritually gifted can more easily tap into higher wisdom, divine intervention, and intuitive insights. While we can all learn to enhance our spiritual communication, expert mystics, astrologers, and numerologists suggest that four specific birth dates have a stronger connection to the other side. Check for the date your birthday falls on, regardless of month, for pro insights. READ: Magnetic Energy? 3 Birth Months Blessed with Goddess Auras Expert numerologists note that the number four is associated with foundation, generational heritage, and emotional groundedness. If you're born on the 4th, your destiny calls for ancestral strength, wisdom, and guidance. You're here to break generational curses. While this can sound intimidating, you have a spiritual team on the other side rooting for your success. At any moment, you can meditate, pray, or seek higher wisdom from these angels, helping you honor what was for what can be. OTHER: Intuitively Wise? 4 Spiritual Gifts Only Old Souls Have In numerology, seven is associated with mystical powers, introspective mystery, and intuitive wisdom. Those born on the 7th rely on their inner knowledge. While they are certainly social creatures like us all, they equally value their solitude. In their lifetime, their ancestors' wisdom is intertwined with their own inner voice, ensuring they make decisions from a grounded, higher perspective. They are old souls, full of genuine advice, counsel, and wisdom. FURTHER: 4 Most Seductive, Irresistible Zodiac Signs The number 13 has always been associated with spiritual wisdom and occult taboos. Witches, mystics, and the misunderstood magicians of their time are often linked to this karmic number. If you were born on the 13th, your ancestors were the outcasts of their era, living through you. You're here to honor their sacred wisdom and utilize their higher powers while ensuring you establish cycles relevant to truth, overcome false beliefs, and transmute darkness to light. NEXT: Libra Zodiac Compatibility: The Zodiac's Synastry With Each Star Sign The number 31 not only closes out the month, but it also symbolizes spiritual culmination and full-circle moments. Your ancestors are by your side, as you often act as a messenger between the visible and invisible realms. Bridging the gap, ancestral intuition, clear clairvoyance, and psychic dreams are some of your tools. With a strong connection to the divine, you're able to heed the calling of your guides. Born on One of These 4 Dates? You're Divinely Guided by Ancestors first appeared on Parade on Jun 16, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jun 16, 2025, where it first appeared.
Telegraph
15-06-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
China will soon once again be the primary civilisation of the world
In May I had the opportunity to spend a month travelling around China. Many things caught my attention while I was there. In general, I came away with some strong and clear impressions, from what I observed, from interactions with people there and from things guides and others said. The first is that the infrastructure that has been built in the last thirty years or less is simply amazing, not just impressive but jaw-dropping. Most spectacular is the network of high-speed railway lines built since roughly 2005. Currently there are 30,000 miles of such lines, all built in the last twenty years. The total railway network, which has also been massively expanded, stands at 96,000 miles including the HSR lines with the plan being to extend it to 170,000 miles by 2050. According to the best estimates by outside observers, the return on this investment is between six and eight per cent. Since the system has largely been built from scratch, it features enormous brand-new stations the size of airport terminals. The trains, which run at 200 mph, are comfortable and clean and the ride is so smooth that the speed is almost unnoticeable. It is not only trains. There is also a series of airports all over China, most as big as major international ones in Europe. Again, these are brand new. Alongside the railways is a dense network of both long-distance motorways and modernised provincial and local roads. There are 114,000 miles of expressways with the rest of the national highway system amounting to 1.3 million miles (1.9 million kilometres). As with the rail system, this is being constantly extended. The big caveat is that building the infrastructure is one thing (not that Western countries are doing that) but the real challenge is maintaining it. The other aspect of infrastructure that anyone visiting China notices is the urban development. China has seen a dramatic process of urban development in the last two decades, with new cities springing up everywhere and older ones adding millions of new housing units. This takes a distinctive form, which is high-rise and high-density. Chinese cities and towns have grown upwards as much as outwards. Cities feature forests of high-rise towers, typically of thirty to forty floors. The initial impression is of uniformity but on closer examination that changes. Most of the towers are not simple boxes but have decorative features as part of the design and what seems a single mass resolves into grouped clusters of towers with similar styles. At ground level it becomes clear that each cluster is fenced off and forms a single gated neighbourhood, with retail and other facilities on the lower floors of the towers. The new cities thus have a high-density modular structure. The other feature of Chinese urban development is how green the cities are. There are trees and green spaces everywhere with most of the trees clearly planted in the last thirty years. The expressways and major roads have ivy growing up the sides of supporting pillars and boxes of flowers and plants along their lengths, all maintained. The pattern is what is known as a 'sponge city' with threads and 'holes' of greenery and open space between the high-rise neighbourhoods and the older low-rise ones and the very high-rise commercial centres. This pattern is far less car-centric than its American equivalent and although there are many cars, they are not at present the primary means of transportation. That is the electric scooter with swarms of them zooming around all of the streets, supplemented by both public transport and walking. Another difference between Chinese cities and many Western ones is their orderliness. There are no homeless people or beggars and although the cities are lively and dynamic you do not see or find anti-social behaviour. Public spaces are spotlessly clean, partly because of a veritable army of street cleaners (most of them older people) but also because littering simply does not happen. One reason for this is a low-key but pervasive police presence: each small neighbourhood has its own attached police officer with photographs of them displayed along with that officer's mobile number for contacting them. Police are highly visible. However, the evidence suggests that the police are simply backing up strong social norms of public behaviour, which strongly disapprove of anti-social conduct. The darker side of the orderliness is the degree of control. There are security checks at all transport terminals and most major historical sites or public buildings. Visiting many places requires photo identification, passports for foreigners, ID cards for locals. There is an important qualification to this though: while the security checks and ID system are uniform and national, the well-known social credit system is not – it varies considerably from one province or locality to another. This reflects a major feature of the Chinese state which is its relative decentralisation. The Party is not uniform and monolithic. Although there are national strategies and policies, each provincial or even city level Party has a great deal of autonomy and can pursue its own strategy to a great extent. As a result there is considerable variation in details of policy and strategy from one part of China to another. This is not novel – it reflects a system of governance found throughout the history of the Chinese state all the way back to its formation in 221 BC. This reflects one of the most surprising observations I made, the persistence and even reassertion of older Chinese ways of thinking and living. Although the cities and infrastructure are impressive, the striking feature is the prosperity and success of the countryside. Across most of China, rural towns and villages have new, modern housing, often funded by private savings. Alongside the network of major roads is a dense system of smaller paved roads and paths that connect the countryside to the national system. This is coupled with both near-complete electrification and internet provision. The pattern of agriculture is very traditional and strikingly different from the Western model. The rural landscape (and much of the open space around and within cities) is one of very small fields, more like allotments. What is practised is traditional Chinese intensive permaculture with regular rotation of crops and mixed farming, a pattern of agriculture that is very efficient in terms of yields but which does not rely on high energy inputs. It is however still very labour intensive but this is changing with urbanisation. However, there are still very strong connections between countryside and city, with many who have moved to the city retaining a connection with and responsibility contract for portions of rural land, which they still farm. The farming is very intensive – not a square inch of land suitable for farming is left idle no matter where it is. Agriculture is only one of many ways in which old China persists and re-emerges. Traditional ideas, such as the polarity of Yin and Yang are as strong as ever. Among the young there is a clear revival of traditional religious belief and observance, notably of Buddhism, but also of Taoism and Confucianism. Buddhist temples are crowded with young people, particularly women, who come not as tourists but to pray. The Party is comfortable with this and in many regions actively encourages it, rebuilding Buddhist temples and even Confucian ones. (That is surprising because of Confucianism being the official philosophy of imperial China.) In fact, the impression gained is that the ideological basis of the state is slowly but steadily shifting, to a hybrid one that owes as much to the historic traditions of Confucianism and Legalism as modern thought. The cult of Mao, while officially as strong as ever, is slowly fading not so much because of ideological repudiation as the simple passage of time. Mao is becoming simply another major historical figure, similar in many ways to his own role model, the First Emperor Ch'in Shi Huang Ti. The current system still has strong legitimacy but the Cultural Revolution is regretted. For middle aged people the figure who is admired is Deng Xiaoping, credited with the opening of China to the rest of the world and the transformation of the economic system from a command economy to a dirigiste market one. Another revered figure is Sun Yat Sen, the founder of the Republic in the 1920s. Uniquely, he is venerated on both sides of the Taiwan Strait and the actual policy of the state owes as much to his 'Three Principles' as socialism (particularly 'Nationalism' or Minzu and Welfarism or Minsheng). There is a widespread popular interest in the historical past of China, and veneration of much of the history. One amusing aspect of this is younger people, particularly women, visiting historical sites while wearing historical period costume. This varies by region – in Beijing it is mainly Manchu court dress from the Qing dynasty, in Xi'An Tang era dress, while in the Yangtze Delta cities it is Song costumes. The past is not accepted uncritically but is generally admired and respected. Past figures who are widely admired are Ch'in Shi Huang Ti, the Hongwu and Yongle emperors from the Ming dynasty and Empress Wu and the Taizong emperor from the Tang. Generally, the Han, Tang, and Ming dynasties are admired, the Song and Qing less so. The common theme is that the figures and dynasties that are respected are ones seen as having promoted Chinese prosperity and power along with openness to the rest of the world, while the deprecated ones are those associated with Chinese weakness relative to the rest of the world and cultural decay. This all reflects another old idea that is reviving, that the crucial thing for state success is not so much institutions or policy but the quality of leadership. This is a very dynamic and innovative society that is also intensely competitive at an individual and familial level. It is highly futuristic and forward looking but also connected to its past, which is venerated in various ways. It has an authoritarian but effective and competent government. How long all this will survive is another matter but right now China is an advert for the idea of 'state capacity'. There is a strong cultural commitment to ideals of education and self-improvement, often very materialistic. One form this takes at a personal level is commitment to physical fitness and health, with public exercise classes being a major feature of urban life. This is coupled with a powerful work ethic. All of this faces challenges. It is not clear how long the ethical collectivism and work ethic will survive the impact of modern cellular communications and social media. There is concern, getting close to panic in official circles, about the below replacement birth-rate but, as elsewhere, there is no sign that the pro-natalist policies of the state are having any effect. The ageing population poses a massive challenge going forward but the current acute problem, as everywhere in the world, is housing costs in major cities – Shanghai has costs comparable to major metros in North America or Europe. That this coincides with massive and continuing supply suggests that it is not supply constraints that cause this but the financialisation of housing and the derangement of the global monetary system. One thing that many locals commented on was the continuing impact of the Covid pandemic – it has halved domestic air travel for example. For now, China is, on all of the evidence, a dynamic society with a functioning and effective state and economy that is comfortable with its past and its identity. There is a strong commitment to engagement with and openness to the rest of the world and a desire to see China recover the kind of position it had under the Tang, as the leading world civilisation. We are only starting to see the impact this model will have on the rest of the world. For a long time, China saw itself as the central or middle kingdom of the world and the rest of the world regarded it as the most powerful and most civilised state – this only changed after the 1770s. We are almost certainly going to revert to that.
The Verge
30-05-2025
- Business
- The Verge
Two former Polygon writers are starting a new site
A lot of Polygon 's staff was laid off following Vox Media's sale of the publication to Valnet, but two of its former guides writers are launching their own guides-focused website: Big Friendly Guide, which you can find at Ryan Gilliam and Jeffrey Parkin founded and are co-owners of the site. Guides make Gilliam 'feel like I'm helping someone enjoy something that's very important to me and I know is important to them,' he tells The Verge. 'And so when I lost the opportunity to do that at my usual 9-to-5, I wanted to continue it.' 'I hate sounding immodest or bragging, but what Ryan and I got really good at was helping people play video games,' Parkin says. Their work on guides helps people have fun with games, he adds — and assists with things like getting a giant horse in Zelda. Big Friendly Guide will make most of its content available for free, and the guides themselves won't be paywalled. But Gilliam and Parkin will also be opening a Patreon for the site as a way for people to support the work, which will also give people access to a Discord. There will be a weekly podcast that's free for everyone and a monthly subscriber-only podcast where Gilliam and Parkin will discuss their coverage plans. There will be ads on the site to start. 'For now, at least, we'll run ads to keep the lights on,' according to the site's About Us page.) But the focus is more on building a community that trusts Gilliam and Parkin's work and pays to support it. In addition to working on guides for games that interest them, Gilliam and Parkin want the community to make suggestions for guides that they can consider and respond to. With Big Friendly Guide, Gilliam and Parkin have modest expectations. 'We're not looking to build a brand and sell it or anything,' Parkin says. 'I don't think either of us want to get particularly rich. We want to keep doing this. That's really what it comes down to.'
Geeky Gadgets
20-05-2025
- Geeky Gadgets
11 Essential Home Assistant Tips for Beginners : Make Your Smart Home Smarter
Have you ever dreamed of a home that practically runs itself—lights that adjust to your mood, a thermostat that knows your schedule, and security systems that work seamlessly in the background? With Home Assistant, this vision is no longer a futuristic fantasy but an achievable reality. However, diving into the world of smart home automation can feel overwhelming at first. The sheer number of devices, integrations, and settings can leave even the most tech-savvy users scratching their heads. That's where this guide comes in. By focusing on practical, beginner-friendly tips, you'll learn how to transform your Home Assistant setup from a confusing tangle of devices into a streamlined, intuitive system that works for you. Everything Smart Home explores 11 essential strategies to help you get the most out of your Home Assistant journey. From organizing devices by areas to automating backups and fine-tuning voice assistant integrations, these tips are designed to simplify your setup while enhancing its functionality. You'll discover how small changes, like consistent naming conventions or using community-created blueprints, can make a big difference in usability and performance. Whether you're just starting out or refining an existing system, this guide will help you build a smart home that's not only efficient but also a joy to use. After all, isn't the ultimate goal of technology to make life easier, not more complicated? Home Assistant Optimization Tips 1. Use Consistent Naming Conventions A well-structured system begins with clear and consistent naming. Assigning descriptive names to devices and entities ensures easier management and intuitive automation. For example, names like 'Living Room Lamp' or 'Kitchen Thermostat' clearly indicate both the location and function of the device. This practice becomes increasingly critical as your system grows, helping you avoid confusion when managing multiple devices. Unique and descriptive names also simplify troubleshooting and enhance the clarity of your automations. 2. Organize Devices by Areas Grouping devices by specific areas, such as 'Bedroom,' 'Garage,' or 'Office,' enhances usability and streamlines control. Home Assistant allows you to assign devices to areas, allowing autogenerated dashboards that are tailored to each space. This organization not only simplifies device management but also improves voice assistant functionality. For instance, you can issue commands like 'Turn off all lights in the living room' with ease. By organizing devices by areas, you create a more intuitive and efficient smart home experience. Tips For Home Assistant Beginners in 2025 Watch this video on YouTube. Here is a selection of other guides from our extensive library of content you may find of interest on Home Assistant. 3. Automate Regular Backups Data loss can disrupt your smart home setup, making regular backups a critical practice. Automating daily backups ensures your configurations and data are protected from unexpected failures or errors during updates. Store these backups on external devices such as a NAS (Network-Attached Storage) or cloud services for added security. By automating this process, you minimize the risk of losing valuable data and ensure your system can be quickly restored if needed. 4. Keep Your System Updated Keeping your Home Assistant system updated is essential for maintaining compatibility with new devices and integrations. Beginners are advised to stick to stable releases to avoid potential bugs or instability. Before updating, review the release notes to understand any changes and test updates in a controlled environment when possible. Regular updates not only enhance security but also ensure your system remains functional and up-to-date with the latest features. 5. Choose a Type 1 Hypervisor For users running Home Assistant in a virtualized environment, selecting a Type 1 hypervisor, such as Proxmox, is highly recommended. Type 1 hypervisors operate directly on the hardware, offering better performance and stability compared to Type 2 hypervisors like VirtualBox, which run on top of an existing operating system. This choice is particularly important for long-term smart home setups, as it ensures a more reliable and efficient system. 6. Install Only What You Need Avoid overloading your Home Assistant instance by installing only the integrations, add-ons, and custom cards that you actively use. Regularly review your setup and remove unused items to maintain optimal performance. A lean system is not only easier to manage but also less prone to errors or slowdowns. By focusing on essential components, you can create a streamlined and efficient smart home environment. 7. Categorize and Label for Better Organization Organizing your automations, scripts, and devices into categories improves navigation and simplifies troubleshooting. Use labels or tags to group related items, such as security devices, lighting, or climate controls. For example, tagging all security-related devices allows you to quickly access them during emergencies. This structured approach makes it easier to manage your system and ensures that critical components are always within reach. 8. Fine-Tune Voice Assistant Integration Voice assistants are a powerful addition to any smart home, but they require careful configuration to function effectively. Limit the entities exposed to your voice assistant to reduce confusion and improve response accuracy. Use aliases to create intuitive voice commands, such as 'Turn on the main lights' instead of 'Activate living room ceiling light.' If your household includes speakers of different languages, consider allowing multilingual support to accommodate everyone's needs. 9. Take Advantage of Blueprints Blueprints are prebuilt automation templates created by the Home Assistant community. They allow you to quickly implement complex automations without extensive configuration. For example, you can use a blueprint to automate lighting based on motion detection or schedule thermostat adjustments with minimal effort. By using community-created blueprints, you can save time and simplify the process of setting up advanced automations. 10. Automate Maintenance Tasks Routine maintenance is essential for making sure the long-term reliability of your Home Assistant system. Automate tasks such as backups, system health checks, and log monitoring using add-ons or scripts. By scheduling these processes, you reduce the risk of human error and keep your system running smoothly. Regular maintenance minimizes downtime and helps you address potential issues before they escalate. 11. Test and Refine Automations Smart home automation is an iterative process that requires ongoing testing and refinement. Thoroughly test your automations to ensure they perform as intended under various conditions. Gather feedback from household members to identify areas for improvement and adjust your setups accordingly. This continuous improvement approach allows you to create a system that genuinely enhances your daily life and meets the unique needs of your household. Final Thoughts By implementing these 11 tips, you can build a well-organized, efficient, and reliable Home Assistant setup. From adopting consistent naming conventions to using blueprints and automating maintenance tasks, each step contributes to a smoother and more enjoyable smart home experience. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced user, these best practices will help you unlock the full potential of your Home Assistant system and create a smarter, more connected home. Media Credit: Everything Smart Home Filed Under: DIY Projects, Gadgets News, Guides Latest Geeky Gadgets Deals Disclosure: Some of our articles include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, Geeky Gadgets may earn an affiliate commission. Learn about our Disclosure Policy.
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Watch: Firefighters pull off 'epic' rescue of hikers in steep Brazilian park
The Brief Firefighters rescued nine hikers and a guide stuck on a steep trail in Brazil's Serra dos Órgãos National Park. The nighttime rescue on May 3 took place in cold, dark, and slippery conditions. Video shows crews using ropes and rappelling after guides failed to reach the stranded group. An "epic" rescue occurred in Brazil after several people became stuck in a steep part of Serra dos Orgaos National Park in Teresopolis. The country's military released video showing firefighters performing the operation on May 3 in the cold, dark, and slippery conditions. They hoisted the nine hikers and their guide to safety. The backstory Local news reports said an elderly couple were among those stuck on the trail without appropriate equipment. Guides tried to rescue them but failed. That's when first responders arrived. Rescue crews were able to locate the hikers and rescue them using ropes and controlled rappelling. The Source Storyful contributed to this report. This story was reported from Los Angeles.
