The Sims Freeplay – Making Best of the Possibilities

There is no dearth of life simulation games but when something comes from the EA stable, you expect it to be different. And no prizes for guessing that The Sims Freeplay tops the popularity charts. Sims franchise has enthralled millions of users and the Freeplay version is taking this popularity to newer heights. It comes with mark improvements over the Sims 3 (Mobile). “THE POSSIBILITIES ARE LIMITLESS” say the makers and it truly lives up to the expectations.

The game is currently available on Android, iOS, Amazon Kindle and Windows platforms allowing millions of users to enjoy it on the go. The Sims Freeplay iOS version takes the experience to a whole new level with astounding graphics, controls and features that give you a real-life experience. Compatible with iOS 5.1.1 and above you can enjoy this game on your iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch.  

If you haven’t experienced anything from the Sims franchise before, the goal here is to create a career and continually build on it. During the course of the game you build relationships or/and create a few enemies and even start and manage a family. It replicates the simple and complex challenges in life. First two stages in any career are relatively easy and it gets tougher as you get acclimatized to the tricks of the trade. The best part about Sims Freeplay is the fact that you need not spend hours in front of a monitor like in case of The Sims.

Are there any downsides? It isn’t as intricate and detail oriented as the original Sims game, but hang on the mobile version was never meant to be so. It has been tailored to offer you awesome experience on your hand-held devices. Nonetheless The Sims Freeplay offers you enough incentives to be glued to your mobile device. It’s time to get started with the ‘POSSIBILITIES’ 

What is Fintech and why it's Hot

If you are one who keeps track of the global financial market, you may have heard the term ‘Fintech’ for quite some time. And if you have statistical bent of mind you would have observed that everyone from top banking executives to people in their early 20s mention this term more frequently than a couple of years back. Some call it the anti-thesis of the traditional banking system one of the last standing monoliths in the 21^st century, for others it is something that is bringing out a major evolutionary change in the global financial market. 

What Is Fintech?             
By definition Fintech is ‘Financial Technology’. If you merely take these two words on face value you probably envisage it to be adoption of technology into the financial industry. But there is much more to Fintech than its definition and it is something that is challenging the entire idea of traditional banking system. While Fintech companies attracted close to $2 billion worth of investments in 2011 there has been a tenfold increase by the end of 2015. This growth has been partly led by investors’ lack of faith in the banking industry as this sector is yet to come out of the stigma of 2007/08 meltdown.     

Why It Is Hot?  
The popularity of Fintech can be attributed to the fact that technology and imagination has resulted in customer-friendly financial services. In a smartphone and Internet driven world it has been resolving some of the bottlenecks that banking sector hasn’t been able to get rid of due to their legacy and old school work process. Let take a look at a few examples - 

·         Fintech has done away with the challenges in money transfers across international borders something which had proved to a bane especially for small entrepreneurs. Not only has the process been expedited but sending money across the globe has also become cheaper compared to the old days of voluminous paperwork and calculating foreign exchange rates.   

·         You can manage your entire wealth tapping on the screen of your smartphone using smart technology. This covers all kinds of investments from Bonds to Equities and Mutual Funds and you don’t need to retain the services of an expensive wealth manager.

·         Fintech would replace the traditional process-driven manual jobs with automation. It has been one of the biggest hurdles in making the banking system efficient. A customer may be granted a loan in a few days instead or weeks and months it now takes in document verification and underwriting process.

It is interesting to note that some bankers rejected Fintech as a fancy idea at its nascent stage while these days they are busy courting these companies!  A case in point is JPMorgan’s partnership with OnDeck Capital and we may see many such partnerships and acquisitions in the near future. On the other end of the spectrum people who have predicted the death of the banking system as we know may also have to swallow their words. Banks are too big for these technology driven start-ups to replace. But Fintech would definitely drive the banking into a new era of ease and excellence.  

2018 Jeep Cherokee – Changes, Redesign, Release Date

There are SUV brands and there is the Jeep. Since the days of World War II the name has been synonymous to SUVs and this explains the enthusiasm around every new model that comes out of the stable. The 2018 Jeep Cherokee is no different and given the amount of changes in its design there is great deal of enthusiasm surrounding this vehicle. The styling in this crossover is more appealing compared to its predecessors as Jeep wants to make inroads into new segments of the market with its new baby.

# Exterior           
The 2018 Jeep Cherokee would sport many redesign elements on its exterior fascia. While it gets rid of some of its ruggedness (as some are terming it more car like) it clearly retains its signature muscular and aggressive styling. One of the marked changes is on the front where the classic seven-slot grille is well complemented by aggressive lines around the hood to create a unique appeal. The alloy coated metallic rims along with marvelous wheel caps add to the sense of flawlessness that written all over the exterior.  The sides and the back retain pretty much the same design as the previous version.  

# Interior            
Step inside and you would immediately experience more space from the previous models given the longer wheelbase. There would be more head room, hip room, leg room with the signature comfort and extravagance. This is perfectly in line with the company’s plans to market it as a family SUV and would comfortably seat four adults and you can squeeze in five people. The new line of upholstery with possibly Laguna leather fits perfectly with the premium price that buyers would need to pay.  The new 3D GPS navigation system with a new screen panel comes with lots of improvements. Similarly the entertainment system has also been enhanced and would sport amazing features.   

# Engine Performance  
The 2018 Jeep Cherokee would come with an all new 3.6 L V6 Pentastar under its hood for the base assortment. Compare this to the 2.4 litre engine that powers the present vehicle and we are talking about some serious performance leap.  This monster motor would dish out 29 horse power and 260 lb-ft of torque. However we expect most people to opt for the 5.7-liter Hemi V8 that would give the person behind the wheels control over 360 horse power and 390 lb-ft of torque. A newly developed 8-speed paddle shift programmed transmission would ensure a smoother ride and lots of fun behind the wheels. The new refinement to the engine means that owners would be able to cut down their fuel bill by as much as 10% with these upcoming models.

# Release Date and Price            
While there is little clarity on the exact release dates we expect to see 2018 Jeep Cherokee hit the roads around April 2018. As far as the prices are concerned it would start at around the $32,000 for the base trim although Jeep can go in for aggressive pricing to take competition head-on in this segment. 

Mexican Cruise Deals - Your Guide to Luxurious Cruising

Fiery sunsets, festive beaches and new flavors of culture; you can’t ask for more during your well-deserved vacation. If you are planning for an idyllic holiday a cruise to Mexico would definitely rejuvenate your body and the mind. Mexican cruise deals add spark to your vacation offering you everything from the best Mexican cuisines to letting you swim with the dolphins, dive deep into ship wrecks and catch glimpse of spectacular marine life. If that’s not enough, onboard entertainment on these cruises would enrich your experience!

Get The Best of Mexican Rivera               
The Mexican Rivera that comprises of 20 odd cities around the western coast of Mexico and welcomes you to new cultures and breathtaking images. It is an all-inclusive world where you will find everything from coastal fishing villages to biosphere reserves and umpteen options for adventure sports. Each port of call treats you with new flavors of Mexican culture. Luxurious resorts, nightclubs and shopping destinations have come up along the entire coast offering you plenty to do and treasure memories for a lifetime.

Whether you want to relax and enjoy your siesta or be a show stealer at the cruise’ fiesta, you are in for the most memorable moment in your life. From two day short cruises to the extravagant fortnight long journey along the Mexican Rivera, you will never be short of options. There are countless Mexican cruise deals from pocket friendly ones to the best that money can buy. Book yourself a luxurious suite and you won’t stop gazing out of your windows. If it is your first time on a cruise you would want to freeze these moments for ever.

As they say you are never too far from a beautiful beach and new culture on a Mexican cruise. Search for the best Mexican Cruise deals and a magical experience awaits you.

Beyond Guns & War – Transforming Sri Lanka through Youth Empowerment

The guns have fallen silent, the three decade old conflict has officially come to an end but peace and reconciliation still remains aloof in Sri Lanka. While there are allegations and counter allegations of war crimes and mass murders, most people often tend to ignore the biggest victims of this conflict – the children. As in most war-torn societies they remained silent spectators to the crime and carry deep scars that are yet to heal. These scars need to be healed and their minds transformed to create better society and welcome a promising future.

The youth in Batticaloa, one of the hotbeds of the conflict suffered the most during this period. And with the divide still intact in most minds and physical infrastructure challenged they are growing up and walking towards an unknown future. A proposed Scout and Girl Guides program in this region holds the promise to empower young girls and boys to script the story of a better nation. It is being aimed at generating constructive social capital that would inculcate positivity in young minds and reduce the animosity between different groups, increase justice in direct interactions and social structures, and respond to the common challenges in the society.

The dream of a better future    
For young eyes that have witnessed bloodshed of the war or gown up hearing stories of the conflict, injustice and violence this project aims to empower them and guide towards a better tomorrow. It will bring youth from different ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds to let them walk into the future of peace, reconciliation and overall development of Batticaloa in particular and the country as a whole. They would be encouraged to share their ideas, engage in constructive dialogue, adopt non-violent methods to address grievances and work for overall development of the society. The value of human relationship that has long eluded many would be inculcated into their minds.

Overcoming the odds   
The road ahead isn’t going to be smooth and there are too many odds stacked up against the transformation of the society. Batticaloa was the center of the conflict and one of the strongholds of the rebel group. Many youths at a tender age were indoctrinated by the extremists and forced to pick up guns and unleash violence. Others were at the receiving side of the State’s crackdown and have stories of pain and atrocities to share. The society was deeply divided along ethnic line during the conflict and most youth sadly inherited hate, prejudice and violence.

Many dreams were cut short during the conflict that saw the killing of youth from both the communities. The travesty of justice and historic blunders rule the minds of many and these have flown down generations. It was a murder of humanity to see child soldiers being deployed as human shield by the rebels. It was shame to see children separated from their families, blown up by landmines, shot by security forces and being denied basic elementary education. These wounds have become permanent and it is a tough ask get young boys and girls from all the communities under a single roof.

An innovative approach to empowerment         
There are no shortcuts to peace and reconciliation and the project hasn’t been conceived as a magic wand to cure three decades of pain, suffering and divide instantly. Such situations call for an innovative approach that would help the country’s youth overcome prejudice and tampered world view. In a society where young minds have been poisoned, where they have been taught to demonize others and where some adults are yet to overcome the notion of violence as a means to secure their rights this project aims to bridge the divide.

The innovative approach would bring youths from different communities who would be shown the commonality instead of the discord. Steps would be taken to develop a strong world view among them that is far away from the animosity that the previous generations experienced during their youth. It would help them conquer newer territories of friendship, togetherness and believe in the ability to get rid of the stigma that came along with bloody conflict. Youth from all communities would come on a platform to discuss the problems being faced and to share ideas to quash artificial barriers that have been created.

A future of Justice, Equality & Prosperity            
The biggest objective of this youth empowerment program is to guide the youth towards a future of Justice, Equality and Prosperity. They would be encouraged to resist extremist and conflict prone notions and make alternative choice of peace and focus all their energy and abilities towards a non-violent ideas of equality and delivery of justice to the victims of the conflict. This project would be a great investment towards shaping opinions and thought process of a generation that would lead the country in the future. It would help in breaking deadlocks between the communities by involving people who would  interact the most and come together in the future for Sri Lankan society’s growth and prosperity.   

Promoting gender equality and social inclusion               
According to a UNICEF sponsored research the district of Batticaloa and many others in the eastern part of the country fared poor compared to the national average in terms of education. The school dropout rate was high especially among the girls given the distances they had to cover to receive education. Also the school going among different ethnic groups in this region was disproportionate to their population. One of the key objectives of this project is to promote gender equality and ensure that girls are empowered and their families are shown the brighter side of education through interaction.

Along with gender equality this project would also work for social inclusion both on ethnic lines as well as try to bridge the socio-economic divide. Child labor is rampant in this part of the world and Batticaloa has figures worse than other districts of the country which would be addressed during the course of the program.

The Scouts and Girl Guides program is small step, but is one that is in the right direction.