Bone Bruise Treatment

Bone bruise treatment involves use of micro-current therapy, medicines like acetaminophen and intake of supplements.

Bone bruise is a painful injury of the bone. Although a bone fracture may not occur in this type of injury, it often leads to bleeding around the bone area. During the injury, excessive pressure generated, damages a portion of the bone. Bone bruises are often a result of sports related injuries. The most commonly affected body parts that suffer from a bone bruise are knees, ankles and foot.

How to Treat Bone Bruise?

Rest
Adequate rest is a must to promote healing and prevent further complications. Too much movement puts undue pressure on the injured bone and aggravate the pain. So, if you want to resume your day-to-day activities as early as possible, make sure that the affected area is not subjected to repetitive stress.

Painkillers
In order to reduce the severity of the pain, painkillers like acetaminophen are very useful. NSAIDS such as ibuprofen that is available under the brand name Motrin and Advil are formulated to do the dual job of decreasing the swelling and the pain.

Ice Massage
An ice massage on the affected area can also help to relieve the pain. Rubbing ice cubes for 5-10 minutes three times a day is generally recommended to get rid of swelling. One should never apply ice cubes directly on the skin. Wrapping the ice cubes with a cloth and then applying it on the skin is often advised to prevent skin damage.

Micro-current Therapy
Micro-current therapy can also be applied to promote the healing process. In this procedure, a small quantity of electric current is passed through the affected portion of the body. This therapy is indeed very beneficial to relieve the pain and repair the damaged tissues. Any injury disrupts the body's electrical fields. Micro-current therapy produces electric signals that occur naturally, whenever the body is repairing the injured tissues. This therapy tries to mimic those electric signals to allow the bone to heal faster. An important point to note here is that the amount of electric current used is so small that the person undergoing the treatment hardly feels the current. Too much electricity is not used, ensuring that the body's defense mechanism is not affected. The therapy safely reduces the swelling and is effective even for chronic pains.

Braces
One may have to wear braces to provide additional support and stability to the injured tissue of the affected area. The intention is to prevent the injury from aggravating by reducing the pressure on the damaged area. For instance, a bone bruise that affects the knee-joint may require you to wear functional or rehabilitation knee braces. These braces reduce the recovery time, alleviate pain and moreover make the knee stronger. Wearing the brace or an ACE bandage is the best support that one can give to speed up healing. These braces also restrict movement, which is necessary to recover from the injury at the earliest.

Healthy Diet
Besides quitting smoking, you need to ensure that your diet is high on nutrition. Proper nutrition can play a significant role to hasten recovery. So, in order to speed up healing, follow a rainbow diet, which essentially means eating a variety of fruits and vegetables everyday. They are loaded with nutrition, hence display amazing healing powers. No wonder, fruits like guava, cherries and vegetables such as spinach, cabbage and carrots are referred to as healing foods.

Supplements
Bromelain an important constituent of fresh pineapples, is a protein digestive enzyme helpful to treat various injuries including bone bruise. Extracted from pineapples, bromelain available at various drugstores in tablet or capsule form, is an effective treatment for this type of bone injury. It can considerably reduce swelling and pain following a physical injury. Including vitamin K and vitamin C tablets can also improve the condition. This is because vitamin C supplements, also known as 'immune system building' medications, help to decrease the recovery time whereas vitamin K is essential for a healthy bone structure. Rubbing ointments that contain vitamin K can also benefit the bruised area.

Stop Smoking
To speed up healing, apart from taking bromelain, one should avoid smoking and chewing tobacco. This is because, tobacco products contain nicotine, a substance that causes the blood vessels to compress, in turn reducing the blood circulation to the injured area. Decreased blood flow means the amount of nutrients reaching the site of injury will also decrease drastically. As we all know, essential nutrients like vitamins and minerals play a crucial role to repair damaged tissue. Considering this fact, it is no surprise that bone bruise takes longer time to heal in smokers than in people who follow healthy habits.

Exercise
Once your pain has subsided substantially and you start feeling better, the doctor may recommend low impact exercises to facilitate healing and improve range of motion. For instance, non weight bearing exercises such as stationary biking and swimming can be helpful to reduce stiffness and promote flexibility of muscles connected to affected bones. However, in case you feel your pain is persistently worsening after following these exercises, it would be best to immediately stop these workout routines.

Caution

Avoid using aspirin and take ibuprofen with caution. Although aspirin acts as a painkiller, it is basically a blood thinner and reduces formation of clots. This can actually worsen bleeding at the site of injury. On the other hand, ibuprofen at high doses provides a strong blood thinning effect. So, take ibuprofen in low doses that too for a short duration of time to prevent any untoward side effects.

Symptoms

A bone bruise can be quite irritating. Common symptoms associated with bone bruise include intense pain, stiffness and swelling. In some cases, the skin color of the affected area becomes blackish blue. Change in weather conditions can aggravate the pain. If the knee bone is injured then the person finds it difficult to walk. Normal range of motion of the injured part is severely hampered.

The injury is a precursor to a bone fracture. In this type of injury the cortex of the bone is damaged. The cortex made up of osseous tissue, is a thick outer covering of the bones. The cortex consists of a very tough fiber known as the fiber collagen. In bone bruise only a small amount of damage happens to the bone, yet it can cause bleeding. Even though not a fracture, a bone bruise causes terrible pain that does not go away easily and is likely to last for months. Bone bruises also take time to heal as the injury affects the innermost part (medullary cavity) of the bone.

Diagnosing Bone Bruise

It is difficult to detect bone bruise with an X-ray. Although aforementioned symptoms may suggest a bone bruise, it is crucial to undergo a MRI scan for accurate diagnosis. In the past, with no invention of sophisticated diagnostic tools, bone bruise was wrongly diagnosed as a fracture.

Bone Bruise Healing Time

Of all the factors, the amount of damage inflicted is the most crucial one, in determining the length of healing time. In most cases, the inflammation and discolored appearance clears within a week or two but the pain is long-lasting and may take 6-12 weeks before you can freely move the bruised area. In some cases, the pain may take more than a year to completely go away. For instance, a serious bone bruise affecting the knee can cause difficulty walking for several months. In addition to severity of injury, repetitive strain caused by inadequate rest can also prolong the healing time.

Vodka Brands List

According to latest consumer reports, US alone witnessed the birth of more than 200 brands of vodkas in the last 5 years; just imagine the figure in other countries. For people who want to stock up their bar with the best vodka brands have landed at the right article. This page educates you about the most popular brands of vodka.

A clear and almost flavorless spirit, vodka was discovered some 600 years ago in Russia or Poland as per their claims. The term 'vodka' is a diminutive of the Slavic word Voda (water). Originally, vodka could only be distilled from potatoes but today various brands use grains, beets, rye, and wheat in its distillation. It is also the most widely consumed spirit in the world and is the preferred base for most cocktails.

At present, there are thousands of producers of vodka and every year many big names enter this market. The following vodka brands list contains the names of the most popular and preferred brands of vodka. These names can be seen at every bar or liquor shelf and can be identified by drinkers and non-drinkers alike. Most brands mentioned are noted for their smoothness and distinctive flavor.

Most Popular Vodkas

Absolut Vodka
Available at nearly every tavern, Absolut comes from Sweden and is a favorite among millions. It has its presence in almost every country in the world and offers a variety of flavors. No list of best vodka brands is complete without this name and it is an ideal choice for people who are looking for a drink which offers maximum smoothness and lightness. It is also a favorite base for most cocktails.
Belvedere Vodka
Belvedere is credited to produce one of the world's first super-premium vodkas, and it comes from the Polish town of Żyrardów. A fine Polish vodka, Belvedere is known for its great taste and its beautiful frosted bottle. It is named after Belweder, the Polish presidential palace and is one of the few brands to make flavored vodkas with real fruit. It mixes well with all spirits but is best preferred unadulterated.

Grey Goose Vodka
You just can't talk about vodka without mentioning Grey Goose. In addition to Absolut, Grey Goose is the only brand to have presence in over 100 countries. This self-proclaimed world's best tasting vodka comes from Western France and is made from the finest French wheat and natural spring water that is filtered with champagne limestone. It also features an impressive line of flavored vodkas in which La Poire is preferred the most.
Ketel One Vodka
One of the most premium vodka brands in the world, Ketel One is the product of 300 years of distilling experience by the Nolet family distillery in Schiedam, Holland. This vodka is made in small batches which are personally approved by the owner. Known globally for its insane smooth taste, flawless quality and traditional appearance, Ketel One symbolizes 10 generations of distilling perfection and is currently the most favored brand for cocktails.

Smirnoff Vodka
Other than being one of the highest selling vodka brands, Smirnoff is also called the "Common Man's Vodka". It is popular among restaurant and homes alike due to its affordable price. Although, its taste and smoothness can't be compared to premium vodkas, Smirnoff has a class of its own and is a preferred choice in making vodka based cocktails.
2NITE Vodka
Four times San Francisco World Spirits Competition Gold Medal winner, 2NITE Vodka comes from the land of Leonardo da Vinci. It is also one of the few 100% organic vodkas to abstain the use of caffeine and glycerin and claims to be a "No-Hangover" vodka. It undergoes advanced chromatography which helps in the removal of impurities that cause hangovers.

Other Honorable Mentions

Jean-Marc XO Vodka
Reyka Vodka
Ciroc Vodka
Finlandia
Xellent Swiss Vodka
Crystal Head Vodka
42 BELOW
Adnams Vodka
Artic Vodka
Boru Vodka
Xan Vodka
Magic Spirits Vodka
Polar Ice Vodka
Van Gogh Vodka
Three Olives Vodka
Stolichnaya Vodka
Chopin Vodka
Frïs Vodka
Gordon's Vodka
Iceberg Vodka
Square One Vodka
Kremlyovskaya Vodka
Vox Vodka
Three Olives Vodka
P.i.n.k Vodka
Monopolowa Vodka
Orloff Vodka
Tito's Handmade Vodka
Sobieski Vodka
Lotus Vodka
Łańcut Vodka
Vodka Oso Negro
Wyborowa Vodka
Zodiac Vodka
Snow Queen Vodka
SKYY Vodka
Svedka Vodka
Vodka 14
Bowman's Vodka
UV Vodka
Vodka 7000
Gdańska Vodka
Alberta Pure Vodka
V44 Vodka
Youri Dolgoruki Vodka
Ultimat Vodka
Nikolai Vodka
Perfect 1864
Level Vodka
Kauffman Vodka

Can Dogs Get Colds?

Colds in dogs are pretty common and are often caused by the various germs and viruses, just like in case of humans. The following article explains ways to treat common colds in dogs, and lists out other illnesses that produce similar symptoms as well.

Dogs can contract a cold by being in proximity with a dog who is already infected. Along with this, stress, low immunity levels, and inhospitable weather conditions can be additional contributing factors.

But most pet owners usually have trouble discerning a common cold from a serious ailment. To make things a little easy for you, we have here a list of symptoms indicating that your dog has a cold.

Symptoms of Common Cold in Dogs -
Coughing
Runny eyes
Yellowish-green discharge from the nose
Frequent sneezing
Lethargy
Can my dog catch a cold from me?
The answer is a resounding 'no'. Dogs can pass viruses among themselves, but a human-to-dog transmission is unlikely. This is because the virus that gets a dog down with a cold is different from the one that affects humans. Therefore, owners should not be concerned about either, passing this illness onto their pets, or contracting it from them.

Helping Your Dog Recover

Increasing Fluid Intake
If your dog has common cold, the simplest way to get rid of it is by feeding him/her lots of nutritious liquids. Chicken broth, for instance will work wonders for your dog too.

Steam Therapy
Try to get your dog to inhale steaming water which will unclog the sinuses. Bring over a tub of hot water, and gently lead the dog to inhale the vapors. Be careful not to allow the dog to go too close to the steaming water.

Boost Immunity
If your dog is prone to catching a cold, use preventive measures, like feeding him/her immunity-boosting food items. This in turn, will keep the germs and bacteria at bay, which can otherwise lead to a cold. A good immune system will ensure that the dog is better equipped to cope with fluctuations in the weather, which is also a common cause behind contracting a cold.

Vitamin Therapy
Vitamin therapies help in boosting a dog's immune system. Provide the dogs with vitamins A, C and E when he/she's suffering from a bout of cold. By including these vitamins in the diet, the immune system will become strong, enabling the dog to fight off most illnesses.

Cough Suppressant
If these home remedies don't work, call your vet about prescribing medication. Cough suppressants can be given to provide temporary relief. Although they may not be able to get rid of the symptoms entirely, they can be given to minimize the discomfort.

Preventive Measures
It would be a good idea to keep the dog indoors when the mercury dips. This is to protect the dog from getting out in an environment where it's easy to catch a cold. Cover your pet with a warm blanket to keep him/her warm during the winter months.

Other Respiratory Illnesses in Dogs

Canine Parainfluenza
This respiratory illness produces symptoms similar to common cold in humans. It is possible to treat canine parainfluenza with the use of home remedies in the early stages. If symptoms persist, you need to speak to the vet.

Kennel Cough
The symptoms of kennel cough include a harsh-sounding cough and discharge of phlegm. Kennel cough, in most cases, is caused by the Bordetella bronchiseptica bacteria and Adenovirus type 2. Adenovirus type 2 is known to produce cold-like symptoms in dogs.

Pneumonia
Pneumonia in dogs occurs when the respiratory infection and cold do not resolve on their own, and are left untreated. Pneumonia causes an inflammation of the lungs and its symptoms include difficulty in breathing and chronic coughing. Dogs suffering from pneumonia need immediate medical care.

Canine Distemper
Canine distemper is a very grave illness, so ensure that your dog is vaccinated against this disease. It is highly infectious. Canine distemper produces symptoms such as coughing and sneezing along with gastrointestinal disturbance. It weakens the dog's immunity and can prove fatal.

Other Illnesses
In some rare cases, cold-like symptoms may be caused by certain parasites, which enter the heart and the lungs. Fungal infections, which occur when the fungal parasites get into the lungs, produce symptoms such as coughing, sneezing, etc.

If your dog's condition does not improve, and is accompanied by other symptoms such as dehydration, infrequent urination, poor appetite, vomiting, etc., and if the dog seems perpetually distressed, it is recommended you contact a veterinarian for proper diagnosis and treatment. Also, if the dog is very old or very young, it is best to consult a veterinarian, rather than attempting to cure him/her at home.

Deductive Reasoning Examples

Examples of deductive reasoning help a person understand this type of reasoning better. Given below, are a few examples that explain this concept clearly...

Deductive reasoning is a logical assumption or conclusion, that is drawn from valid or invalid premises. In deductive reasoning, no other facts, other than the given premises, are considered.

What is Deductive Reasoning?

Deductive reasoning is one of the two basic forms of valid reasoning, the other one being inductive reasoning. The main difference between these two types of reasoning is that, inductive reasoning argues from a specific to a general base, whereas deductive reasoning goes from a general to a specific instance. Also, deductive reasoning, unlike inductive reasoning, is something that is based on a premise and then follows accordingly. Inductive and deductive arguments differ with regard to the standards of evaluation that are applicable to them. Thus, deductive reasoning is the method by which, conclusions are drawn on the basis of proofs, and not merely by assuming or thinking about a predetermined clause. The basic principle on which deductive reasoning is based, is a well-known mathematical formula;

If, 1 = 2 (premise)
and 2 = 3 (premise)
then, 1 = 3 (conclusion)
The conclusion drawn in the above example, is a but obvious fact in the premise.

Similar relationships can be established by following a liner logic, wherein, one premise follows up on the other. Deductive arguments can only be valid or invalid, sound or unsound or true or false, because the statement that is derived may be true, but in the context of the derived conclusion, it may not be valid. A deductive argument can be valid, only if the conclusion necessarily follows from the premises given. If the conclusion is incorrect, then one of the premises must be faulty or true only for a specific situation, which is not applicable to all situations. A valid deductive argument with true premises is said to be sound, whereas, a deductive argument which is invalid or has one or more false premises or both, is said to be unsound. An argument is valid when both the premises are true and the conclusion that is derived from them cannot be false.
Examples of Deductive Reasoning

Given below are a few examples that will help you understand this concept better:

All oranges are fruits
All fruits grow on trees
Therefore, all oranges grow on trees
All bachelors are single
Johnny is single,
Hence, Johnny is a bachelor
The above examples are valid and sound. Here are a few valid, but unsound examples;

All flight attendants know how to swim
Ralph knows how to swim
Hence, Ralph is a flight attendant.
The above conclusion is untrue, because it is not necessary that only flight attendants know how to swim. Absolutely any swimmer can swim.

Sometimes, deductive reasoning can be established, even without the help of syllogisms. Given below are a few examples of deductive reasoning without syllogisms.

Everyday I go to work.
This journey from my home to my office takes me one hour (premise).
I have to report at eight o' clock in the morning (premise).
So, if I leave my house at seven o' clock in the morning, I will reach office in time (conclusion).
From the second and third statements in the above example, the fourth statement is concluded.

Don't touch the dog's bone, he will bite you.
Through this statement, it is understood that dogs bite (or that a specific dog, bites).

There are also chances of deductive reasoning examples that go from specific to general. These are rare and generally have a lot of premises, each of which follow upon the previous one. Given below is one such example:

The members of Hassling family are Betty, Aaron and Lucas.
Betty is thin
Aaron is thin
Lucas is thin
Therefore, all members of the Hassling family are thin.
With the help of these examples, you must have understood what deductive reasoning is. It may seem simple, but it can go wrong in more than one ways. When deductive reasoning leads to a faulty conclusion, the reason is often that the given premise was faulty. Thus, the premises used in deductive reasoning are in many ways the most important part of the entire process of deductive reasoning, as was proved by the help of the above given examples. Thus, if they are wrong, the entire foundation of the whole line of reasoning is faulty and thus, the conclusions derived will also be faulty. However, at times, even if the logic is not executed properly, the conclusion may be wrong. So, to minimize the chances of this mistake from happening, it is best to not assume anything, and to only accept what has been mentioned.

Deductive reasoning is mostly confused with inductive reasoning. Let us understand inductive reasoning to avoid confusion.
What is Inductive Reasoning?

Inductive reasoning is the conclusion that is assumed from the known facts by human beings till date. It is a conclusion derived from general knowledge. It states generalized facts from observations of a regular pattern of anything. These observations are subject to change or remain constant, depending on (changes in) further observations. Every human being has a natural trait of inductive reasoning. Some are strong while some are a little weak at it.
Examples of Inductive Reasoning

You have a very good friend circle. (premise)
Therefore, you are very good. (conclusion)
In the above example, the person is being judged. The judgment may not necessarily be true. Even if it is, you can never say if it is temporarily or permanently true.

All the swans that I have seen till date are white in color. Therefore, all swans are white.
This year began very well for me. So, this is a lucky year.
In all the above examples, there is a sense of a generalized judgment, which may or may not turn out to be true. Whereas in deductive reasoning, there is no judgment. The conclusions are mostly true, based on the given situation.

Taking a Job for the Benefits

Money isn’t everything. Yes, it’s very important, but benefits are arguably just as important when you’re looking at a compensation package. Don’t dismiss a potential job just because the salary isn’t quite right - especially if there are other perks.

Unemployed? Yeah, you’re not alone. As of July, 2012, 12.8 million Americans are in the same boat - and that only counts those who are still looking. It doesn’t count those who have become so demoralized they’ve given up, or those who have accepted part-time or low-wage jobs to help bridge the financial gap until they find a "real" job. Depressing, yes.

As you search, you probably have a salary range in mind - usually comparable to your last job, or even less if you’ve been looking for a while. You’ve probably discounted jobs that offer less, saving them for when you’re really desperate - but that may not be the best move. Some employers are offering lower pay but more benefits, and those benefits may actually be better than a slightly higher salary. Since wages have been essentially stagnant since 1970 while productivity has risen 154%, you may as well consider perks as your due.

Health Insurance

Health insurance can get incredibly expensive if you have to pay for it  yourself. If you had insurance through your former employer, your COBRA payments probably came as a shock - and just imagine if you had to buy your own plan from the start. The average cost of health insurance is around $140 per person per month, for healthy people with no pre-existing conditions. Not astronomical, but if you’re forced into a low-paying job, it could easily eat half a week’s salary - to say nothing of the typical $3,500 deductible, you would have to pay if you actually needed to use it.

Employers recognize the need for comprehensive health insurance is a bigger issue now than ever before, so many companies are offering medical, dental and vision plans even to part-time employees. The job itself may pay slightly less, but not by much.

Paid Time Off

You may not think you need paid time off - after all, you go to work every day, sick or not, right? But what about when your kid gets sick and you can’t get a babysitter at the last-minute? If you were assured an average of six days throughout the year where you would be paid for not showing up to work, it would take the burden off staying home to take care of your kid. In fact, it would make more financial sense to not hire a babysitter.

And what about paid vacation? Sure, we’ve not yet caught up to the European standard of four to seven paid weeks per year, but the average American job offers two weeks, which is nothing to sniff at. Employers recognize the need for workers to de-stress and recharge every so often - take advantage of it. The cost of a family vacation is a bit easier to bear when you don’t also lose income during that time, and if you join the growing trend of the "staycation", it’s all money in the bank.

What about volunteering? You don’t have time to volunteer - you work for a living, right? Well, companies are seeing the value in encouraging their employees’ altruistic sides, so many are granting the equivalent of two paid days per month to be spent on volunteer work. Not enough time to go build schools in Africa, but plenty of time to help out at the soup kitchen or animal shelter.

Flex Time

Flex time has been around for a while now, but it’s becoming more common in industries that aren’t time-sensitive. For instance, allowing waiters to show up "whenever" as long as the work gets done would result in a lot of angry diners. Graphic design, on the other hand, can be done any time, anywhere. Telecommuting goes hand-in-hand with flex time at many jobs, and liberates your schedule in a similar way.

Flex time and telecommuting can help minimize child care expenses by allowing you to work around your spouse’s schedule so someone is always home with the kids, and it allows you to get non-work stuff done during the week as well so you can spend time with your family on the weekends. That, my friends, is worth its weight in gold.

Education Reimbursement

The interesting thing about this particular recession is that experienced workers are getting the shaft in favor of inexperienced workers. Employers would rather hire someone whom they can mold into what they need rather than a fully formed employee who commands higher pay. Kinda stinks. But the upside is that they may pay for any additional education you may need to perform the job. If they see you as reliable, capable and driven, but lacking a particular certification, they just may pony up. And that certification will follow you to future jobs, too.

Reimbursement doesn’t just apply to new education, either - if your field requires CE credits or periodic re-certification, the employer might pay that as well. They may send you to conferences and retreats as part of your CE - some of these events practically qualify as vacation, so it’s like getting a bonus getaway on top of your paid vacation time.

All said, the benefit package can really spice up a job offer - study it carefully. While you should never take a job you hate just for the perks, don’t turn down one you might like simply because the actual salary isn’t quite there. Look for the benefits.

DIY Logo Design Guidelines

Sometimes the budget just doesn't allow for a professional job, and that’s okay. Learn how to design your own logo without ending up with an amateur mess that actually drives clients away. Hint: You have to know your industry and your audience first.
Whether you’re starting a business or rebranding an existing one, your company’s logo is likely taking up a lot of mental space lately - with good reason. Your logo is your company’s handshake, first impression and lasting symbol all rolled into one. Think about the logos of some of the most successfully branded companies like - Nike, Coca-Cola, McDonald's, NBC - you could immediately identify the logos even if the name wasn't attached.

That’s your goal in designing your own logo. You want something that encompasses your company’s mission so completely that the two are forever linked in customers’ minds. Now, this is a very detailed, complicated process based on psychology - entire degree programs are focused on perfecting the process. It’s always better to hire a professional for just this reason. But if your budget doesn't allow for designer fees, you can at least design your own logo using the same process experienced designers use.

Do Your Research

Too many people make the mistake of immediately sitting down and picking out fonts and colors. A professional, on the other hand, knows the value of research. Look at other companies in your field who target your chosen demographic. See what’s out there. The goal is not to copy these logos, but to make your own design different enough to stand out while still fitting in.

You really have to know your demographic for this to be effective, so research that too while you’re at it. Understand when to be flashy and when to be understated, when to be edgy and when to be sophisticated. Not only does the feel of your logo have to appeal to your audience, but it also has to accurately represent the "personality" of your company.

Sketch

Your brain will be full of ideas at this point, so get them all onto paper. Sit down with a pencil and a ream of copy paper and just brain dump everything that’s in there, no matter how stupid it might seem at first - sometimes you have to get the trash out of the way before you can see the gold.

Don’t worry about your lack of drawing skills - these aren't sketches for clients, these are just rough ideas. As long as you know what they mean, you’re fine. Don’t worry about recreating fonts or perfect lettering, just fill in rough shapes and suggest the overall look of each design. The more you do, the better - pros might sketch a couple of hundred designs in this stage.

Once your brain is totally empty, step away for a bit. Come back the next day, look through your sketches and set aside the ones that immediately catch your eye. Narrow the field down to the three best, and it’s finally time to get to the computer.

Fonts and Design

Refine your sketches in your software of choice - Adobe Illustrator is practically made for this, but whatever illustrating app you have will probably work. Keep it black and white for now, just focus on choosing fonts and refining the shape of your logo. Work on all three finalist sketches, and analyze them when you’re done - often, a clear favorite will emerge during the refining process. When you think you have all three to the point of being as perfect as they can get, choose a winner. It’s usually helpful to step away from the project for a day or so to clear your perspective before choosing your final design.

Add Color

Choose a color scheme for your brand - work with color swatches before you fit them into your logo. Don’t just choose your favorites, pick your colors based on psychology and color symbolism (Google is your friend). You’ll need a dominant color plus one to three others that can be used for contrast or harmony, depending upon the mood you’re looking to create.

Once you have your colors down pat, fit them into your logo - don’t go overboard, sometimes simplicity is best. You don’t even have to use all of your colors in the logo, because there will be plenty of room for the "leftovers" in other branding applications like signage and collateral. Do as many different combinations of color and design you can think of, then choose the very best one.

Tweak It

So, you have your basic logo at this point, but there’s always room for improvement. Experiment with font size and placement (not all letters have to be the same size), spacing, negative space, and just generally tighten up the design. Keep scalability in mind - your logo must be legible, clear and cohesive whether it’s in 6-pt. type or on a billboard.

Once your logo is perfected, create alternate versions for other applications. Professionals usually create both horizontal and vertical orientations, plus full-color, black-on-white, white-on-black and two-color versions. These come in handy for print applications, collateral, etc.

See? You just created your very own professional logo, and it only took about three days out of your life and added a few dozen gray hair. Now you understand why graphic designers charge what they do, and that professionals of all stripes only make it look easy.

How to Start a Shrimp Farming Project

Owing to the high demand for shrimp in the market, owning a shrimp farm/starting one is considered to be nothing less than owning the goose that lays the golden egg. What are you waiting for then? Let's find out what it takes to set up a shrimp farm.

Shrimp farming essentially involves the cultivation of shrimp or prawns, mainly marine shrimp. Mostly cultivated for consumption basis, shrimp farming invariably has a commercial side attached to it. The concept of shrimp farming originated as a small-scale business idea, but has now grown to be a full-fledged global business. Commercial shrimp farming began in the 70s and has since then, become a rage, making it nothing less than a gold mine. So, if you are among those entrepreneurs who wish to earn a decent living with shrimp, then 'project shrimp farming' is just the thing you should take up.

Starting a Shrimp Farm

Before you even think of venturing on to 'project shrimp farming', you would have to get yourself a permit that will allow you to start the business. And yes, you would have to specify the strategy you would be employing; that is whether it would be extensive, semi-intensive or intensive. Extensive, as the term suggests, is a farm covering a larger area where the cost of production and maintenance would be relatively lesser compared to intensive farming. If your concern is larger production, you would definitely want to go in for the intensive farming project, rather than extensive farming, where the total production is low.

Choosing a Right Location

When you decide to start a shrimp farm, it is essential that you consider the following points, which include proximity to marine water, climatic conditions of the area and ease of access to shrimp larvae.

Warm, brackish water is required for the cultivation of shrimp; hence, the proximity to ocean water is a prerequisite for starting a shrimp farm. Shrimp farms located in warmer climatic conditions have longer cultivation periods than those in colder regions. Remember: the warmer the area, the longer the growing season will last, which means that warm conditions are favorable for shrimp cultivation.

Creating a Clean Ecosystem

When constructing a shrimp farm, you would have to remember to construct two interconnected farms or ponds to conveniently transfer the mature shrimp from one farm to another. One of the most important factors of a shrimp farm is to keep a check on the drainage facilities. In the case of an extensive farm, which is located along a coast or a mangrove, the tides will provide with the required water exchange, but in case of an intensive farm located away from the coast, care needs to be taken to keep the water aerated at all times. Most intensive farming practices employ the use of pumps/paddle wheels to keep the oxygen level in the water constant as well as remove impurities, thus ensuring a better yield. Building a gate system for the exchange of fresh ocean water if your farm is located near the ocean, makes sense, and it will save you a lot of maintenance headache. For sustainable shrimp ecosystem, stock the farm with algae and phytoplankton.

Regulating the Feed

Post larval shrimp purchased from a hatchery is used to stock the ponds. Fertilized phytoplankton is used to accelerate the growth of the shrimp in the case of extensive farms; however, in the case of intensive farms, artificially formulated feeds are used for shrimp growth. The shrimp need to be fed minimum twice a day. The feeding can be done either manually (use of boats) or through mechanized feeders that are well-distributed around the pond.

Harvesting the Shrimp

This is the last stage of shrimp farming - ideally done in October - just as it begins to get cooler; thus, stopping the growth period of the shrimp. Draining the pond to harvest the shrimp is ideally the right method; you can even opt for catching the shrimp in nets or using special pumps to harvest the shrimp.

If you have a farm/pond, do keep all sorts of predators away; you wouldn't want your shrimp catch to be affected by predators. Shrimp farming has its share of ill effects too; constantly worrying about the dangers of consuming farm-raised shrimp won't help you in this profession. Besides, cultivating shrimp in unhygienic conditions could also land you into serious trouble; other than having your entire field wiped out, your permit too will be at a risk. Better be safe than sorry, especially, when it comes to venturing out into a lucrative option like shrimp farming.