undocopy: Top 30 Health Tips

undocopy: Top 30 Health Tips: A garlic a day: Garlic is the mother of all cures. Researchers in Liverpool have found that 5ml of garlic extract lower levels of a dis...

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video libraries for free and without registration.

 RefSeek's guide to the 25 best online resources for finding free educational videos. With the exception of BrainPOP and Cosmeo, all listed sites offer their extensive video libraries for free and without registration.

http://www.refseek.com/directory/educational_videos.html

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Best Screenshot Apps for Android

The two-button combo for screenshots is easy but what if our smartphone has a fragile lock or volume button, we wouldn’t want the buttons to break, would we? Along with that, we sometimes need editing tools for doodling, arrows, boxes etc.. to point out something in screenshots before we can post them on social networks. There are a number of screenshot apps on the Google Play Store that not only allow you to take screenshots with ease, they also bring some cool additional features.
We tried many apps on the Play Store and here are the best screenshot apps for Android (in no particular order):
Note: Most of the screenshot apps on Android come with various triggers to take screenshots. Not every trigger will work on all smartphones due to access or hardware limitations. 

Best Screenshot Apps for Android

Screenshot Easy

Screenshot Easy is a very popular Android app for taking screenshots with ease. The app has a very simple UI, which works well with Android’s Material Design UI guidelines. There are various triggers in the app, which lets you take a screenshot. You can choose to take a screenshot through an overlay button, which keeps floating or using a button in the notification center or by shaking your device. The app also lets you set your hardware camera button to take screenshots and that’s if your smartphone has a hardware camera button. If the app is running in the background and you take a screenshot the conventional way, it detects that and opens the screenshot in the app for your editing needs.

 

When it comes to the editing features, it lets you crop your screenshots, ZIP it or print it. You can also change existing colors in a screenshot to the one you like. There are options to show date & time on screenshots and save the images in PNG or JPG format. Other features of the app include themes, support for locale & tasker plugins. Moreover, the app is available for free on the Play Store.
Install: (Free)
Compatibility: Android 4.0 and up.

Screenshot Ultimate

Screenshot Ultimate is not the best looking Android app out there but if you want a ton of features in a screenshot app, Screenshot Ultimate won’t disappoint you. It has the most number of triggers to take a screenshot and you might find some of them to be really convoluted. You can take screenshots through an overlay button, notification bar button, shaking your device, power connect/disconnect and more. There are advanced triggers like audio trigger (blow into your device’s mic to take screenshot), interval (set time period to automatically take screenshots), cronjob (set when to take a screenshot in a specific app), proximity (put finger on proximity sensor to take screenshots), intent (tasker & locale support) and more.



Along with the various triggers, the app lets you make adjustments to your screenshots, change formats and more. There are also editing features like draw, crop, add text, rotate, mirror, effects and more. It also lets you share images directly to Imgur. The good news is Screenshot Ultimate is available for free on the Play Store.
Install: (Free)
Compatibility: Android 2.1 and up.

Screenshot Snap

While the Screenshot Snap app doesn’t really bring any intuitive methods to take a screenshot, it makes up with its diverse editing features. The app detects a screenshot being taken and loads it up on the app. You can then edit the screenshot on the go and share it quickly. You can doodle on an image with the pencil or paintbrush tool and you can also insert arrows, boxes, text and more.



The app brings you the option to save images in PNG or JPG, increase or decrease image quality. Screenshot Snap is available in a free version but it is limited when it comes to features and the ads can be a little annoying. The paid version of the app brings some cool stamps, blur tool, cloud uploading and removes ads.
Install: (Free, Paid $0.99)
Compatibility: Android 4.0 and up.

Perfect Screen Shot

Perfect Screen Shot is another cool screenshot app, which stands out due to its unique features. The app feels smooth in operation and it embodies Android’s Material Design UI, if that’s a deal breaker for you. While the app does not take screenshots for you, it detects when one is taken and opens the app with the screenshot right in front. It lets you frame your screenshots inside a device’s frame and you can edit the colors, background and more. There are various options to edit the frames and you can add glare, shadows & blur to the images. You can get frames of various devices ranging from Nexus devices such as Nexus 6P, Nexus 5X to Galaxy S6 Edge, One M9, Moto G and more.



The free “Classic” version of the app is pretty limited when it comes to the number of frames and editing features. The paid “Ultra” version brings you 3D frames, various editing options like background color, custom background images, optional blur and more.  You can also choose to edit your screenshots without a frame, if frames are not really your thing. The app also lets you import screenshots from any cloud storage services that you use like Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox etc.. To sum it up, Perfect Screen Shot is a cooler way to share screenshots and those screenshots certainly do look better inside a device frame.
Install: (Free Classic, Paid Ultra $1.99)
Compatibility: Android 4.0.3 and up.

Capture Screenshot

Capture Screenshot is very similar to Screenshot Easy but Capture Screenshot is a great screenshot app in its own right. The app is fast and is designed beautifully, so full marks to the developers on that front. It brings you various triggers like overlay button, notification shade button and shake to capture. Once you click the “Start Service” button, the app starts running in the background and detects whatever screenshots you take.



Once a screenshot is taken, Capture Screenshot lets you crop, draw, rotate, invert, add text and more. It also brings a number of filters like Boost, Grayscale, Gamma, Hue, Vignette etc.. There’s ability to save screenshots in PNG or JPG image formats. Along with that, the app brings you themes and you can choose the color you like for the app to give it a personalized look. While the free version of Capture Screenshot packs in most of the features, the “Pro” version removes ads and brings more filters.
Install (Free, Pro version $3)
Compatibility: Android 2.3 and up.

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Websites to Download Creative Commons Music For Free

If you’ve wondered where many of those YouTube videos get their background music from, you’ve come to the right place. Music with Creative Commons licenses are music compositions written, produced and shared by people who do not charge anything when you use their music for your own use, commercially or non-commercially.

Basically, they make the music and keep ownership and copyright of it and you get the permission to use it for your videos, film or small multimedia productions, as long as you credit the creator properly.

There are many sites out there that house music with Creative Commons licenses, sites where you can download music for free (and legally). These sites make it very easy for you to use, all you have to do is pick an audio clip you like and save it as an MP3, and there you have it, your free music download.

Jamendo

Jamendo has more than 350,000 audio files on their database, which includes music in a few different languages and from different countries. Its advanced search will help you narrow down what you’re looking for on their large database.

There is also a ‘Radio’ option where you can listen to music like on a radio channel based on genre. By registering and logging in, you can save personal favourites to your account.

Freesound

Freesound is a collaborative database for Creative Commons Licensed sounds. This database here is filled with sound effect such as ambient noises, synthesized sounds and sounds produced by musical instruments.

Browse, download and share sounds on Freesound; you can also upload your own audio clips to their database after registering for an account on the website.

ccMixter

Music on this site can be downloaded and shared with anyone, anywhere, anytime. Clips here focus on instrumental samples that are mainly used for remixes on DJ music. There is a wide variety of samples to choose from, which can be sorted by tags that describe the audio clips.

Kompoz

Kompoz is an online community that prides in collaboration between artists from all over the world. Artists post their clips on the website where anyone can download it and use it for their own productions. They can also add their own instruments or creative mix to the original clip and upload it on the website again.

As more people collaborate on the original clip and the clips after that, it will eventually become a creative collaboration of multiple musicians.

SoundCloud

SoundCloud is a very popular website where famous artists share their new tracks to the world. There is a section under Creative Commons license where you can download other people’s tracks. You can stream the available clips and it takes just a simple click to get the MP3 file without any registration.

Note that some tracks however require you to ‘Like’ their Facebook page before you can download their clips.

BeatPick

On BeatPick, you have a music player kind of interface where you can listen to any song on a list. To download any song from the website, you’ll have to register for an acoount. Most of the clips are instrumental, with very little vocal input.

The clips also come with descriptions of what it sounds like, which can be useful to match to whatever the theme your clip is.

Restorm

This is a website mostly used by indie artists who want a platform to sell their music to the public and have their works licensed under their name. You too can do the same, or download some of their free selection of music just by creating an account.

The full songs available on the website can be streamed to help you decide if you want to download it. Some of the artists also have songs in their native language not just English.

Musopen

Musopen is a website where you can find free music from individual instruments in an orchestra: violins, cellos, violas, etc as well as a combination of instruments. It caters to the genre of quieter music like classical music or jazz.. Best of all, you can also download sheet music.

You can also browse music by sorting it by composer, instrument and even the period of time the music clip resembles.

Vimeo

You might recognize Vimeo as a place only for videos, but it also offers free music which you can use as long as you give credit to the original artist. After clicking download, your download will start and a pop-up window will appear with the details of the clip’s title, artist and website.

For example, when using a music for a YouTube video, you would use those details and place it at the credits of your video or video description.

ArtistServer

ArtistServer has over 11,000 MP3 downloads by more than 10,000 artists and you can be one of those artists too when you sign up with them. They have clips of many genres for you to choose from which you can download for free.

It is also possible to preview the entire clip before making your selection and downloading it.

Audiofarm

Audiofarm has a wide selection of genres to choose from, uploaded by ordinary people who want to share their music. You can easily download any song you like by clicking the download link – no registration needed.

The full song can even be played while browsing for one that fits your needs. By registering, you can upload music for other people to download.

iBeat

If you’re a DJ or anyone else looking for some free beats and loops, iBeat has a wide database of clips which are free under Creative Commons licensing. The beats available come in a variety of genres such as rock beats, hip hop beats and even acoustic or electronic beats. No registration required.

CCTrax

CCTrax is a directory of free music. It has a database of Creative Commons license music for music lovers. Plenty of awesome sound track albums are available for free download here, like Alexander Saykov, Baumfreun, Stiver and more.

JewelBeat

On JewelBeat, you search through free background music and sound effects with keywords. These free background music clips can be used for whatever video production you are making. The audio clips here are mostly instrumental and consist of short loops. Besides the free selection, there is also a $0.99 selection that you can choose from.

Audionautix

Clips found on Audionautix are released under Creative Commons license 3.0 – you can use the audio clips available even for commercial purposes so long as you credit the Audionautix website. Clips are named to what the artist feels it should resemble; you can preview the clip by clicking it and if you like it, right click the clip and select ‘save target/link as’ to save it to your desktop.

FMA

FMA stands for Free Music Archive which has a wide selectionof high-quality, legal audio downloads. It works like a music station where you browse for clips and if you like the clip, you can add it to your music player. You also can opt to download the full clip. You can use the music player and download the clips without registering for an account.

Purple Planet

Purple planet is the creation of two people, Chris Martyn and Geoff Harvey, who let you use their music for free. You can use any of their audio clips on online videos so long as you link to their website at the description of the video. Their style of music falls under effects that accompany a horror, dramatic or mysterious scene.

Incompetech

Incompetech hosts a wide variety of royalty free music. You can browse their selection by genre or feel. "Feel" would include things like: Action, Relaxed, Intense or Humorous; you can select a combination of ‘Feels’ and it will check its database for selection matches. Clips can be played on the website and instantly downloaded as well.

Bump Foot

Bump Foot originates from Japan and focuses mostly on techno, trance beats and electronic dance music. You can download the files and use it for your own non-commercial work as long as you give attribution to them or the featured artist.

There is no way to stream music as there are only download links avalable on the site. You don’t need to register for an account to start downloading.

More

1. CASH Music – CASH Music is a non-profit organization that hosts digital tools for musicians and labels to share their music. The digital tool allows for uploads and downloads of songs and sharing is made easy.
2. Josh Woodward – This work of a single person, this site features more than 180 songs that are free for download, sharing and use. Do give this generous man attribution if you use his clips in your productions.
3. PacDV – This is a small database of free audio clips organised by mood or emotion such as: Warm, Loving, Serious or Lonely.
4. SampleSwap – SampleSwap is also a forum for other musicians. When a clip is uploaded, the floor is upon for discussion about the clip, as well as a free download.
5. DanoSongs – This is also a one-man wonder site. You get to use his wide variety of self-made clips, arranged by genre such as soundtrack, pop/rock band and even techno/electric.
6. Public Domain 4U – This website has a wide selection of genres of free music you can download. The genre leads to another website which houses the album and description of the album. You can download your tracks there without registration.
7. Orphan Songs – This website is created by Carl-Otto Johansson who is a musician who writes and records his own music. He uploads his two albums and a few tracks licensed under Creative Commons for public use.
8. Sonnyboo – To use songs from this website, you have to credit the owner and writer of the songs, Peter John Ross. The song selection he has ranges from Jazz to

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10 Lists to Keep If I Want to Be Successful

The human mind is truly incredible, and we should all strive towards creating a tenacious memory we can rely on. Many lucrative professions or hobbies require such a trait—actors, musicians, artists and entertainers in general do countless drills, just so the required information can be embedded in the memory with certainty. Clearly numerous doors that lead to a successful future are unlocked if one has a great memory. Although beneficial, it is not an essential ingredient within the success formula—what you lack in memory can always be compensated with diligence.

Keeping track of crucial elements in your life through list-making is still an unrivaled tactic for counterbalancing feeble recollection. By utilizing constant reminders, we can have significantly greater organization, we won’t be under the impression we have forgotten something, and we will have a clear insight into which task has a stamp of immediacy attached to it. Here are ten suggested lists that warrant implementation, in order to track achievements and nurture ambition.

1. List of Goals

“What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals.”
—Zig Ziglar

Goals and ambition is what drives us and motivates us, but we need to ask ourselves what is it that we want in order to feel truly accomplished. Your list of goals should consists of all the items that you deem are necessary to truly respect yourself. It can be financial stability, a place you can call your own, starting your family, being independent, etc. People have different criteria when it comes to goals, and this list in particular is ever-growing; it changes as you mature, but it always feels great when you cross something out of it. Without such a list, you lose direction of where your life is heading, and we all need some inner guidance to focus on—a good reason to get up in the morning.

2. List of Tasks

“Happiness does not come from doing easy work but from the afterglow of satisfaction that comes after the achievement of a difficult task that demanded our best.”
—Theodore Isaac Rubin

Tasks are actually milestones on the road to goal completion, and these lists have a tendency to become quite copious. New tasks emerge on a daily basis, regardless of whether you are an employee, a student, or a freelancer. Despite the fact that they are arduous, we always have some sense of achievement once the task is complete, or when a certain problem is solved. By avoiding to make such lists and lists of our daily tasks, they’ll simply pile up and eventually become a hindrance.

In the event you have larger tasks that need more than a day, a week or a month before they can be completed, then break those tasks into smaller daily assignments, and put them on the list as well. As long as you monitor larger tasks while completing minor daily milestones, you will have a greater grip on progression and continuous source of motivation. List and sticky notes are actually quite potent tools for increase in productivity, especially while we are working from home.

Lastly, it is worth mentioning that you should also have a list of personal tasks, or tasks you do for the sake of self-fulfillment. These are related to your personal goals, and governing passions—writing a book, painting, crafting etc. These tasks will define you and offer a much greater sense of achievement, so give it your all to create something you can be proud of.

3. List of Contacts

“Wishing to be friends is quick work, but friendship is a slow ripening fruit.”
—Aristotle

It would be delusional to assume you can make it all on your own; however, at the same time, a flawed partnership can result in disastrous outcome as well. It is extremely difficult to find compatible allies and contacts, since friends and family—in other words, people close to you—may not be the best choice for a business partner. If you want to enter into a partnership with someone, make sure the person shares the same vision. Tread lightly and try to ascertain your potential partner’s level of reliability.

Throughout life, we come across skillful, capable and talented people, whose competence might be needed in the future, depending on your line of work of course. Do not be hesitant to offer a helping hand when they are in need, since you can gain a valuable contact. The point being: make a special list of all important contacts, like reliable programmers, handymen, lawyers, etc. Remember not to only reach out when you are in need. You need to maintain a healthy and natural relationship and be there for those people if they require your assistance. Truth be told, it can be arduous to forge strong friendship bonds, but having important acquaintances and becoming an important acquaintance is very much possible.

Without such a list, you are leaving yourself vulnerable to possible future complications; moreover, make sure this list is well-kept since once you lose a contact like this one, it can be somewhat troublesome to recover such data. Just be sure you have recovery data tools at your disposal to mitigate the damage if something were to happen to your phone.

4. List of Expenses

“A wise person should have money in their head, but not in their heart.”
—Jonathan Swift

This may be a quite mundane piece of advice, yet it is very often neglected. As we all know, there are two types of expenses: those that are necessary, (bills, taxes, food) and those expenditures used for indulging some personal cravings. There is a degree of restraint that the majority of us lack in order to approach the matter with a satisfying level of prudence. To say it bluntly, we treat our wants like our needs, and necessities and primary obligations are pushed in the background. Of course, this may sound a bit exaggerated, but the truth is the pressure of a consumer’s culture eventually becomes overwhelming, resulting in a purchase we shouldn’t be able to afford at the time. This kind of behavior can be avoided by utilizing lists, and turning them into an omnipresent reminder of what is truly important.

By making lists of all the monthly expenses we are obligated to pay, we’ll have a clear overview with how much resources are there at our disposal. On the other hand, without this list filled with meticulous calculations, we are prone to believing that we have more freedom to engage in a shopping spree, ultimately causing our bills to pile up; thus, we end up a step closer to a financial suicide. Handling finances properly, or the fact that we prioritize the costs of living, is a responsibility that signifies maturity. Success is commonly measured by the amount of wealth and without adequate spending tactics, you prevent its accumulation.

5. List of Useful Tools

“If you’re the type of person who has to fulfill your dreams, you’ve got to be resourceful to make sure you can do it.”
—Vin Diesel

Today’s society vastly depends on the use of technology—we exchange information, conduct calculations, measure time, etc. This level of reliability also suggests liability. If something were to happen to our cell phone or personal computer, it would be a sizable setback that could harm our capabilities severely. As mentioned, losing contacts can truly be troublesome. It is even worse however, to have your life’s work lost and compromised.

Useful tools are not only limited to recovering damage; they also encompass tools that make your job easier. With efficiency and a greater level of competence, you are a step closer toward success. Using the right apps and tools can make up for our lack of skills in a particular area, or simply help us manage our work in a more timely manner. Keeping a list of useful tools will come in handy whenever you are faced with more common problems, like finding a good restaurant for a business dinner, driving through unfamiliar terrain, task management, learning, and there are even tools capable of helping you recover stolen property.

Even though the list is not as crucial as the ones mentioned so far, it is undeniable that having it can save you a lot of time if the need for it ever arises. The Internet is a vast sea of both useful and useless tools, and by filtering out those that are irrelevant, you won’t have to conduct countless searches when you are in need of adequate tools for problem solving.

6. List of Self Improvements

“The minute that you’re not learning I believe you’re dead.”
—Jack Nicholson

Reasonable to assume this one is unavoidable, and it always deserves to be mentioned. It is safe to assume we are all aware of our shortcomings; if not all of them at least some of them. Think about yourself, make a list of all the things you would like to improve or change, then consider how to implement those changes. Despite the fact that those who are close to you do not pressure you into changing or improving, you should always make constant endeavours to do so, for your own sake.

The list of improvements should consist of physical changes, changes spiritual in nature, abandoning bad habits etc. No one expects you to change entirely in a short time period, but making a decision to change one thing on a yearly basis is a viable resolution, quite easy to execute. The list is there simply to remind you which improvement to prioritize, and build up your confidence after each completion. Refusing to change can either result in lack of confidence and depression, or becoming an overconfident and self-absorbed person that no one will tolerate for long; both of these traits are contradictory to your quest for a successful future.

7. List of Creative Ideas

“Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”
—Waldo Emerson

Throughout history, people who made the most significant impact on the world were those with a revolutionary way of thinking, those who dared to challenge the established order and alter the status quo. For an idea to be classified as creative, it needs to be new, it needs to make sense, and it needs to have some sort of use. For example, creating something to help the disabled communicate online, or simply type—that way, people who have lost their limbs could blog or become creative writers, and show the world a piece of their mind. Thus a keyboard in a form of braces could enable them to type using their tongue; however I am not an engineer, so I do not know whether something like this is possible.

Whenever a new idea comes to your mind write it down, then browse the web to see if you indeed have stumbled upon something ground-breaking. Once your list has grown, then you need to start pondering on the subject to see whether it holds closer scrutiny. Ask for a second opinion and see what you would need to realize your idea. In a majority of cases, this is how successful people are created. Rest assured that it is very possible that people won’t be impressed with your creativity as much as you are, but do not allow yourself to be discouraged—after all, perseverance has a crucial role in a career as well. Monitoring your thoughts incites productive thinking and hones your focus; it keeps our mind occupied. Letting your good ideas slide is only a wasted potential that will put your progress in a halt.

8. List of Future Plans

“The future is uncertain but the end is always near.”
―Jim Morrison

We have all heard statements like “Tomorrow is a mystery,” “Live for today,” and “You can’t affect the future.” Personally, I heavily disagree with such a point of view. Although I do agree that, in particular circumstances, making plans for the future is doing Sisyphus work, not planning it at all seems utterly mortifying. I also believe that everyone makes some sort of plan; the problem is this fear of uncertainty that thwarts our will to act.

To make your resolve more adamant, compile a list of your future plans, see what you need in order to make them come true. This one is very similar to the first list—the one with goals; the difference is, it does not have to involve your personal future. Rather, it is list of upcoming important events, important changes in law, or upcoming trends, useful software, etc. It will keep you well-informed and prepared, since staying updated and relevant are essential virtues for lucrative businessmen.

9. List of Contingency Plans

“You pray for rain, you gotta deal with the mud too. That’s a part of it.”
—Denzel Washington

Every action has an equal and opposite reaction, meaning there is nothing you can do without consequences. Every attempt to be more successful usually has a set of barriers attached to it, or risks. Even though risks are inevitable, being prepared for the aftermath is always a good and necessary thing. When you plan your business incentives, or when you plan to invest in something, make sure you compose a thorough pros and cons list, as well as a list of possible negative scenarios. In the event that positive aspects outweigh the negative ones, you can be more encouraged to proceed further.

Make an effort to be constantly prepared for the backlash of major initiatives, and contain the possible damage. The lack of contingency implies recklessness, and it was adamantly made clear how this approach contradicts advancement. Make leaps of faith only when you have no other options to explore.

10. Bucket List

“The bitterest tears shed over graves are for words left unsaid and for deeds left undone.”
—Harriet Beecher Stowe

Finally, learn to live for the sake of experiencing what life has to offer. It is invigorating, to say the least, and it keeps your regrets at minimum. One of the reasons why we want to be successful is to actually fulfil our dreams or complete our bucket list, to look back on our life during old age with a warm smile rather than a frown. Feel free to put even the impossible things on your bucket list, and find the next best thing using your creativity. Whenever you reach a rough patch in your life, take a look at you bucket list and see what is the most plausible thing to do in order to restore your will power and keep going.

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Best cases and covers for your brand-new iPhone 6S

Apple makes beautiful smartphones, but durability is not a major focus. Because the new iPhone 6S packs in more features than ever before, there’s no doubt it will sell like hot cakes, so if you want to preserve that elegant design then you really need to take some precautions. The case market has exploded in recent years, so you can get solid drop protection, find all sorts of stylish finishes, and even add some functionality very easily.
Updated on 11-2-2015 by Simon Hill: Added cases by Burkley, Adopted, Rhino Shield, iDeal, and Grovemade.
To help narrow down your choices, these are the best iPhone 6S cases we’ve seen so far.
Related: Best iPhone 6 cases

Burkley Walletcase ($34)

Here’s a hand-crafted wallet case in high quality leather that comes in a variety of different finishes. You’ll find a black, polycarbonate shell inside that your iPhone 6S snaps into. It’s minimalist, with cut-outs for all the buttons and ports. Around that, you have a leather folio with a diagonal flap that contains a magnetic closure. On the inside cover there are three card slots, and you can also fold the cover back to act as a landscape stand. There’s a cut-away on the back to enable normal camera use. If the eye-catching, limited edition, fiesta red isn’t to your tastes, check out the other finishes, including the gorgeous antique coffee.
Available at:
Amazon

Adopted Frame Case ($40)

This case has an expensive look and feel to it, but it’s really a bumper, or a frame, rather than a typical iPhone 6S case. The frame and the button covers are aluminum, and it has genuine, full-grain leather panels to provide contrast, comfort, and grip. There’s a latch at the bottom left corner, which makes it easy to put on and take off, and there are openings for the ports and the side switch. It extends beyond the iPhone body front and back to provide all-round protection. Even though it’s just a frame, it does add bulk; it almost squares off the rounded corners of your iPhone. We’re not sure about drop protection, but it certainly fits nicely with Apple’s design.
Available at:
Adopted

Rhino Shield PlayProof Case ($30)

It was the Crash Guard bumper ($25) that first brought Rhino Shield to our attention, and it’s still worth a look, but the case maker has now widened its line-up with the new PlayProof case. This is more of a traditional fitted case, blending a hard shell with a shock-absorbing hexagonal pattern on the inside that promises drop protection at up to 11.5 feet. The case is easy to fit, the cut-outs are generous for easy access to ports, and the button covers are pronounced, so you can find and use them easily without looking. It’s a lightweight, slim case, considering the level of protection, and you can get it in a wide variety of different finishes (plain color cases are $5 cheaper). The only thing we don’t like is the slippery back.
Available at:
Evolutive Labs

iDeal Swipe Wallet Case ($44)

The Swipe Wallet case for the iPhone 6S combines a number of really smart features. There’s a minimalist hard, plastic shell in black, which you can snap your iPhone 6S into. It has the full range of cut-outs and a textured finish that aids grip. It attaches to the fake leather (polyurethane) wallet portion via magnets, so you can take the jacket on and off as you like (iDeal also sell magnetic mounts). The wallet has two card slots on the back for easy access, a magnetic closure, and there’s a window in the front to display the time, incoming calls, or music controls. A series of four, shiny metal segments, near the bottom of the cover, enable you to answer and hang up calls without having to open the wallet. It can also double up as a landscape stand. You’ll enjoy the clever design and stylish feel of this iDeal case.
Available at:
iDeal

Grovemade Walnut Case ($100)

You can’t help falling in love with Grovemade’s wares, but they’re not cheap. Crafted from Oregon Claro Walnut, each case has a unique grain, and they’re all sanded and finished by hand in Portland, Oregon. The natural wood looks and feels fantastic, the button covers work well, and there are openings for the ports, camera, and side switch. Grovemade has struggled to produce wooden cases that don’t add a lot of bulk in the past, and its solution here is to offer a bumper and a separate back plate that adheres directly to the back of your iPhone 6S. It’s not all style over substance, this case will offer some protection for your iPhone, but it is thin wood at the end of the day, so the case may not survive a drop or bump unscathed.

Available at:
Grovemade

Nodus Shell Case ($61)

We loved the folio style Access Case by Nodus, so we were excited to hear about the new design for the Shell case. It’s crafted from the same full grain Italian leather, but this case is a slim, polycarbonate shell with a soft, microfiber lining that your iPhone 6S will fit snugly into. It’s very slim, has accurate cut-outs for your ports and the camera, and sports subtle button covers. There’s no distracting detail, just an embossed octopus logo on the back. The Shell case also comes with a small magnetic dock (a square of metal bearing that same stylish octopus logo) that you can stick wherever you want. It’s a handy way to keep your iPhone 6S safe while charging, or to use it hands-free.

Available at:
Nodus

Cover-Up Woodback Snap Case ($26)

Natural wood grain is always a pleasant look, and Cover-Up’s cases strike a nice balance between style and affordability. This a slim case that snaps onto the iPhone 6S. The main shell is black polycarbonate with openings for all of the buttons, ports, and the camera. The back panel comes in a wide variety of different natural wood finishes, including padauk, bamboo, and blackened ash. These cases aren’t going to provide rugged drop protection, but they’ll guard against scrapes and bumps. The wood is all sustainable, hand-sanded, and waxed, and each one looks unique.

Available at:
Cover-Up Amazon

MagBak Case ($39)

Here’s another iPhone 6S case with a magnetic touch. The MagBak, as the name suggests, has a magnetic strip inside it, and it ships with two MagSticks, which are small magnetic strips with adhesive backs that you can stick on the car dash or the kitchen tile for mounting your iPhone. The case itself comes in six different colors, feels malleable and soft to the touch, and has a black microfiber lining inside. There are cut-outs for the ports, switch, and camera, and subtle button covers. It’s very slim, so it may not provide much drop protection, but the magnetic docks are potentially very handy.
Available at:
MagBak

Encase Leather Wallet Case ($32)

This case is padded and covered with neatly stitched, genuine leather in black or brown. Open up the magnetic closure, and you’ll find a full wallet replacement inside, with three card slots and a larger money pouch at the back. Your iPhone 6S clips into a tough, polycarbonate frame with the full range of openings for access to controls and ports. It’s an unobtrusive case that won’t draw undue attention to your iPhone 6S, and it offers complete all-round protection from falls, bumps, and scratches.
Available at:
Mobile Fun

Trident Aegis Pro Case ($35)

You may think you’ve seen the Aegis before, but Trident has redesigned it for the iPhone 6S. It’s still a seriously tough case that meets military drop test standard 810G, by blending tough polycarbonate on the outside with a shock absorbent TPE inner. This case also features good button covers, plugs to protect the ports, and a raised lip to safeguard the screen. It has a lanyard loop, and it comes with a screen protector. There’s a texture on the back to aid grip, and it has a clever slide on design for an easy fit. It is definitely bulky, but it will also definitely protect your iPhone 6S if you drop it.
Available at:
Trident

Griffin Amazon

Caseology Envoy Series Case ($17)

You don’t necessarily have to spend a lot of cash to get a case that looks expensive. Caseology is best known as a budget case manufacturer, but it brings plenty of style and a fashionable aesthetic to this minimalist line for the iPhone 6S. The Envoy Series combines a flexible TPU bumper case with a PU leather backing. There’s a raised lip on the front to protect the screen, rubberized button covers that are easy to find and press, and accurate openings for the ports and the camera. The frame has a metallic gold finish, but you can get a variety of different effects on the back including black or white carbon fiber, or a blue, brown, or gold faux leather.
Available at:
Caseology Amazon

X-Doria: Defense Lux Case ($60)

Can you have solid protection and style in the same case? X-Doria certainly thinks so. The Defense Lux has a soft rubber inner, an impact-resistant polycarbonate back, and an anodized aluminum frame. The whole package meets military drop test standard 810G, so it will survive falls from up to 6.6 feet. You can choose from a range of luxurious finishes on the back including carbon fiber, soft leather, and crocodile skin. There’s a lip on the front to safeguard the screen, and metallic covers to protect the buttons.
Available at:
X-Doria Amazon

Otterbox Strada Series Case ($50)

The Strada Series is something a little different for Otterbox, a company usually known for its highly protective cases. You still get a solid shell the iPhone 6S snaps into, that offers real drop protection, but there’s also a genuine leather cover and a metallic highlight bearing the Otterbox logo on the side for a classy look. The metal plate has a magnetic latch to keep the cover securely closed in your pocket or bag. The inside has a soft lining and a single slot for a business card or ID. The button covers and openings are precise. You can get this in classic black, or reddish brown.
Available at:
Otterbox Amazon

Skech Ice Case ($30)

Here’s a nice, practical case from Skech which isn’t too bulky. It features a classic combination of soft interior wrapped in a hard shell. The openings are large, so there’s no interference with the camera or ports. The button covers are easy to find and not too stiff. It’s a comfortable case to hold thanks to the soft touch finish. We also really like the protective rim, which extends to protect the screen should your phone land face down, and also covers the back to prevent scratches. This grippy case comes in six different colors.
Available at:
Skech

Silk Innovation: PureView Clear Case ($12)

The cheapest case on our list is a slim bumper with an internal tread that promises to absorb shock. It has a clear back to allow Apple’s iPhone 6S design to shine through. The button covers are quite large, and there are big openings for the ports and camera. It looks quite good for such a cheap case and should provide basic protection. You can pick it up in gold, black, transparent frost, or grey. It’s easy to customize this case by slipping a picture into the clear back section — there’s even a template provided so you can trim the picture for a perfect fit. You also get a screen protector in the box.
Available at:
Amazon

Read more: http://www.digitaltrends.com/mobile/best-iphone-6s-cases/4/#ixzz3qQFLlL7Q

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MESSAGE OF SHRI GURU GRANTH SAHIB JI

All people of the world are equal

The Guru Granth Sahib promotes the message of equality of all beings and at the same time state that Sikh believers "obtain the supreme status" (SSGS, Page 446). Discrimination of all types is strictly forbidden based on the Sikh tenet Fatherhood of God which states that no one should be reckoned low or high, stating that instead believers should –“reckon the entire mankind as One” (Akal Ustat, 15.85).
Sri Guru Granth Sahib promotes the concept of equality by highlighting the fact that we are made of the same flesh, blood and bone and we have the same light of God with us – Soul . Our building bricks are the same:

The God-conscious being is always unstained, like the sun, which gives its comfort and warmth to all. The God-conscious being looks upon all alike, like the wind, which blows equally upon the king and the poor beggar.

— Sri Guru Granth Sahib page 272 Full Shabad

The Gurus also encourage believers to promote social equality by sharing earnings with those in need.

Women's Status

Main article: Women in Sikhism

Guru Nank Dev Ji said "Sikhi does not teach you to raise your hand on a women it teaches you to respect them"
Sikhism also preaches that equal respect should be given to women.

In the earth and in the sky, I do not see any second. Among all the women and the men, His Light is shining.^[1]

— Sri Guru Granth Sahib page 223 Full Shabad

Metaphysic

Sikhism is strictly monotheistic in its belief. This means that God is believed to be the one and sole Reality in the cosmos, meaning that no other being have extra-human power. Sikh Gurus state that God alone is worthy of worship, and the highest end of existence, that is mukti or liberation can come through Devotion to God alone.
Besides its monotheism, Sikhism also emphasizes another philosophical idea, which is known as monism, a philosophical position which argues that the variety of existing things can be explained in terms of a single reality or substance. Furthermore one of the tenet of the religion is the belief that the world is only a "vision" or illusion (Maya) and that God is the sole "Continuing Reality" so that selfishness, egoism and hate are meaningless.

God is merciful and infinite. The One and Only is all-pervading.
He Himself is all-in-all. Who else can we speak of? God Himself grants His gifts, and He Himself receives them.
Coming and going are all by the Hukam of Your Will; Your place is steady and unchanging. (20,1)

— Sri Guru Granth Sahib page 710 Full Shabad

Speak and live truthfully

Sikhs believe in the importance of truthful living, which can only be created by purity of mind and not through religious purification rites. They believe that impurity of mind leads to many other vices such as anger, lust, attachment, ego, and greed.

So how can you become truthful? And how can the veil of illusion be torn away?
O Nanak, it is written that you shall obey the Hukam of His Command, and walk in the Way of His Will.

Control the five vices

Devotees of Guru Sahib believe they must control the animal instincts of Pride/Ego, Anger/Temper, Greed/Urges, Attachment/Dependency and Lust/Addiction.

All virtues are obtained, all fruits and rewards, and the desires of the mind; my hopes have been totally fulfilled.
The Medicine, the Mantra, the Magic Charm, will cure all illnesses and totally take away all pain.
Lust, anger, egotism, jealousy and desire are eliminated by chanting the Name of the Lord.

— Sri Guru Granth Sahib page 1388 Full Shabad

Live in God's hukam

A Sikh believes they should live and accept the command of God easily and without too much emotional distress. They attempt to live in contentment and in Chardikala (positive attitude).

Shalok:
He wanders around in the four quarters and in the ten directions, according to the dictates of his karma.
Pleasure and pain, liberation and reincarnation, O Nanak, come according to one's pre-ordained destiny.

— Sri Guru Granth Sahib page 253 Full Shabad

Virtues

The Sikh religion emphasizes several other virtues: Truth (Sat), contentment (santokh), Love (Ishq), Compassion/Mercy (daya), Service (seva), Charity (dana), forgiveness (ksama), humility (nimrata), patience (dheerjh), non-attachment (vairagya) and renunciation (taiga).
These believers attempt to avoid anger (krodh), egoism (ahankara), avarice (lobh), lust (kama), infatuation (moha), sinful acts (papa), pride (man), doubt (duvidha), ownership (mamata), hatred (vair), and hostility (virodh). In the Sikh religion, freedom from these vices, or Sahaj, is attained through tension-free, ethical living, grounded in spirituality avoiding self-mortification and other religious rites of cleansing.

First, is the Lord's Praise; second, contentment; third, humility, and fourth, giving to charities. Fifth is to hold one's desires in restraint. These are the five most sublime daily prayers.

— Sri Guru Granth Sahib page 1084 Full Shabad

Humility is the word, forgiveness is the virtue, and sweet speech is the magic mantra. Wear these three robes, O sister, and you will captivate your Husband Lord. ((127))

— Sri Guru Granth Sahib page 1384 Full Shabad

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10 Things I Wish Everyone Knew About Sikhism

Despite being one of the world’s largest world religions, Sikhism remains one of the most unknown traditions in America. The lack of understanding has led to serious consequences, including discriminatory policies, bigoted stereotypes, traumatic school bullying and violent hate crimes.
Here is a list of 10 things that the global community ought to know about its Sikh neighbors.

1. Sikhism is an independent religion.

A number of people mistakenly think Sikhism is an offshoot of Hinduism, an offshoot of Islam, or a blend of the two religions. While the category of religion is itself problematic, scholars and practitioners alike classify Sikhism as an independent religion.
The Sikh tradition carries the basic markers of organized religion, including its own founder-prophet (Guru Nanak), scripture (Guru Granth Sahib), discipline and ceremonies (rahit), and community centers (gurdwara). There are more than 27 million Sikhs worldwide, making it the fifth largest world religion.

2. Rooted in oneness and love, Sikh theology encourages a life of spirituality and service.

Oneness and love serve as the foundations of Sikh theology — these are both the objective and process. Sikhs aim to recognize the divinity within everyone and everything they encounter, and this daily practice helps the individual cultivate and embody the qualities of oneness and love.
Sikhs believe that the Creator permeates all of Creation and that every individual is filled with the same divine potential. The Sikh tradition emphasizes the collective familyhood of all humanity and challenges all social inequalities, including those on the basis of class, caste, gender, and profession.
Realizing oneness and love within one’s life also compels the individual to seek unity with the world around them. The tradition urges its followers to live as a sant-sipahi (warrior-saint), one who strikes a balance of cultivating spirituality while also contributing socially through community service.

3. The real meaning of “guru.”

The word “guru” literally means “enlightener,” and while it has come to refer to an expert in any domain (e.g., basketball guru, real estate guru), it carries a particular institutional meaning within the Sikh tradition. In Sikhism, “guru” refers to the line of authority, beginning with a set of 10 prophets who established and led the Sikh community. The first of these, Guru Nanak, was born in 1469 CE, and the tenth in his line, Guru Gobind Singh, breathed his last in 1708 CE.
Before he passed, Guru Gobind Singh passed the leadership to joint entities — the Guru Granth Sahib (the scriptural canon) and the Guru Khalsa Panth (the community of initiated Sikhs). Sikhs revere these two as occupying the throne of the Guru for eternity.

4. The Guru Granth Sahib is a unique scripture.

The authority accorded to the Guru Granth Sahib certainly sets it apart from other scriptural texts of the major world religions. The Guru Granth Sahib also defies common expectations of scripture in other ways.
The Guru Granth Sahib was compiled by the Sikh Gurus themselves and is primarily comprised of writings composed by the Gurus. This collection also includes the devotional writings of other religious figures, including Muslim Sufis and Hindu Bhaktas.
Unlike the prose narratives that make up a majority of western scriptures, the Guru Granth Sahib is made up entirely of devotional poetry, most of which is set to music. These writings are primarily made up of expressions of divine experiences and wisdom on religious cultivation. These writings have played a central role in Sikh practice since the time of Guru Nanak — Sikh worship consists of singing these compositions in both private and congregational settings.

5. The Sikh Gurus presented a pluralistic worldview.

As evidenced by the inclusion of writings from other religious figured within the Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh Gurus did not believe in religious exclusivism. Rather, their pluralistic worldview posited that one could reach the Realization from any religious tradition. Sikhism teaches that diverse paths can lead to the divine, as long as the individual traverses the path with love. Because of this pluralistic outlook, Sikhism has no real history of missionizing or proselytizing.
While some misinterpret this pluralism as promoting cultural relativism, it is important to note that the Gurus also emphasized the importance of following an accomplished leader and maintaining religious discipline. Sikhism does not encourage the increasingly popular models of “a la carte religion” or “spiritual-but-not-religious,” though admittedly Sikh jurisprudence is relatively less complex than most religious traditions.

6. Sikhs have a long history of standing for justice.

Guru Nanak modeled social engagement by critiquing social inequalities, building institutions that serve and empower the disenfranchised, and publicly critiquing political oppression. The subsequent Gurus preserved and built upon the foundations laid by Guru Nanak. For example, the ninth among them, Guru Tegh Bahadur, observed Mughal state authorities forcefully converting its Hindu constituents. Although this oppression targeted a religious community to which he did not belong and whose beliefs he did not share, Guru Tegh Bahadur stood up firmly for their right to practice religion freely — and the state responded by publicly executing Guru Tegh Bahadur.
The Sikh community has drawn inspiration and guidance from such examples over the years, and it has demonstrated a commitment to justice in various ways. Sikhs are taught to defend the defenseless and have historically led responses to political oppression. Sikhs have therefore been regularly targeted by the political elite, a cycle that continues to play out in present-day India.

7. Sikhs maintain a unique identity.

Since the formative moments of the tradition, Sikhs have maintained a physical identity that makes them stand out in public, even in the context of South Asia. This identity includes five articles of faith — kesh (unshorn hair), kanga (small comb), kara (steel bracelet), kirpan (religious article resembling a knife), and kachera (soldier-shorts) — and distinguishes someone who has formally committed to the values of the faith by accepting initiation.
While many have attempted to ascribe functionalist rationales for each of these articles, these understandings do not capture the connections that Sikhs have with these articles. Perhaps the best analogy (though admittedly an imperfect one) is that of a wedding ring: one cannot reduce the significance of a wedding ring to its instrumental value; rather, one cherishes the wedding ring because it is a gift of love from one’s partner. Similarly, Sikhs cherish their articles of faith primarily because they see them as a gift from their beloved Guru. Trying to understand these articles on the basis of their function is missing the point.
Perhaps the most visible aspect of the Sikh identity is the turban, which can be worn by men and women alike. The turban was historically worn by royalty in South Asia, and the Gurus adopted this practice as a way of asserting the sovereignty and equality of all people. For a Sikh, wearing a turban asserts a public commitment to maintaining the values and ethics of the tradition, including service, compassion, and honesty.

8. Sikhism believes in absolute equality.

Sikhism was founded on the concept of oneness and justice, and the Gurus adamantly rejected all social inequalities. While women continue to be subjugated in modern South Asia, the Sikh Gurus rebuked discriminatory practices that marginalized women (e.g., sati, purdah) and openly placed women in leadership positions.
Along these lines, the Gurus established new practices to challenge social norms, such as India’s caste system, that perpetuated social inequalities. For instance, the tenth Guru asked all Sikhs to abandon their last names — which identified one’s caste — and asked them all to take on a collective last name reserved for royal families to signify the inherent equality and nobility of every individual: Kaur for women and Singh for men. Similarly, the Gurus established the institution of langar, a free meal provided at the gurdwara that is open to one and all. During this meal, everyone sits together on the ground, regardless of caste, social status, gender, or religious background.

9. Darbar Sahib of Amritstar is the epicenter of the Sikh psyche.

Known to westerners as the Golden Temple, Darbar Sahib of Amritsar, Punjab has served as the center for the Sikh community since its founding more than four centuries ago. Sikh theologian Sirdar Kapur Singh referred to Darbar Sahib as “the theo-political capital of Sikhs.” This phrase captures the role of this site as both a spiritual center where the community gathers to worship as well as a political throne where collective decisions have been made.
It is inaccurate to refer to Darbar Sahib as “a sacred space” or as “Sikhism’s holiest site.” Sikh theology recognizes that divinity permeates the entire world equally and therefore does not recognize any particular space to be uniquely sacred or holy. At the same time, Darbar Sahib does occupy a special place in the collective Sikh psyche. The site has witnessed a number of significant historical events, from the return of the sixth Guru after a stint in prison and the first public enthronement of the Sikh scripture during the 17th century to massacres of thousands of civilians and the burning of historical artifacts and relics by the Indian Army in 1984.

10. Sikhs have made immense contributions to American society.

From the time of their arrival in the late 1800s, Sikh men and women have been making notable contributions to American society. Early immigrants settled in the western frontier, where they played a major role in building America’s railroads. Sikh Americans like Bhagat Singh Thind served in the U.S. military during the World Wars, and the first Asian American Congressman was a Sikh American elected to office in 1957. The inventor of fiber optics is a Sikh American, as is the country’s largest peach grower, the mayor of Charlottesville, Virginia, and Morgan Freeman’s personal physician. Sikh American women continue to make diverse contributions, such as Grammy-winning artist Snatam Kaur, commercial airline pilot Arpinder Kaur, and Columbia University professor Supreet Kaur.

Image courtesy of OlegD / Shutterstock.com.

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