Friday, January 31, 2020

The Way Universities Educate Law Grads Is Changing For The Better

Over the twentieth century, the words “lawyer” and “doctor” became bywords for having a successful career. In the 21st century, that’s still true. Lawyers are among the highest earners in the American economy, with many taking home more than $100,000 per year at successful practices.

Traditionally, however, getting into the profession was fraught with difficulties. Budding graduates had to endure year after year of learning, all self-financed, making it almost impossible to work at the same time.

With changes in technology and educational approach, though, students have more flexibility than ever before.

Technology is making a difference, for instance, to where people can learn. Historically, if you wanted an education in law, you had to show up every day to a physical university - and pay high boarding costs for the privilege. Now, though, many institutions deliver courses and materials online, slashing accommodation, and travel costs.

Universities are also experimenting with the way that they educate people. Today’s law graduates have the opportunity to work on real cases (often in business) while studying, providing real-life experiences of the type of problems they might face in the future.

All this is leading to a dramatically different legal landscape. The opportunities in the sector have never been greater, and getting into training has never been more practical.

Are you thinking about shifting careers? If so, please take some time to read through the following infographic. It charts how educational institutions are changing their approach to legal degrees and providing students with more flexibility and options.



Infographic by USC

Tuesday, January 28, 2020

Crispy Italian Chicken With Authentic Italian Sauce




We all know that dessert is a highlight for many people. Whether you are “bananas” for ice cream and bananas or you like a big, thick, gooey chocolate cake, you’ve still got to enjoy the main meal. But when you are fed up with your boring chicken dish what can you do to shake it up? Let's show you this crispy Italian chicken recipe that is so indulgent you won't even want dessert!

Ingredients

For the sauce:

3 teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil

1 large onion, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, crushed

3 x 400g cans of chopped tomatoes

¼ - ½ teaspoon of dried chili flakes

2 teaspoon of balsamic vinegar

2 teaspoon sugar

1 large handful of basil leaves, torn up into small pieces

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to season

Grated parmesan, to serve (optional)

For the chicken:

2 cups of seasoned croutons (or if you'd rather, zesty Italian croutons)

1 egg

1 and a quarter pounds of boneless and skinless chicken breast.

¼ cup of shredded mozzarella cheese.

Directions

For the sauce:

Heat the oil in a saucepan. 

Gently cook the onion and the garlic until they have softened. 

Stir in the tomatoes, the chili flakes, the balsamic vinegar, and the sugar. Bring up to a simmer and cook slowly for 45 minutes to 1 hour for a rich flavor. 

Stir in the basil and season the sauce with salt and pepper. 

If you want, this can be left chunky or for a smooth sauce, blend it in a food processor.

For the chicken:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray to stop it sticking. 

Put the croutons into a large resealable plastic bag and, using a rolling pin, crush the croutons up finely.

Crack open the egg and whisk it up in a shallow dish before dipping the chicken into the egg. Once the chicken is coated in the egg, place this into the plastic bag and shake. Make sure that the chicken is covered in the croutons. 

Take the chicken out and place it onto the baking sheet. Bake the chicken for 20 minutes or until the chicken has been cooked through.

Get the sauce and spoon it over the chicken. Sprinkle with the cheese and you are good to go! Pair this with oven roasted Italian vegetables and you've got an indulgent yet healthy main course.


If you are fed up with chicken as the staple dish in your household try this as a supremely indulgent alternative. Chicken doesn't have to be a boring, plain thing. Take inspiration from this dish and make it what you want! Chicken is one of those staple food choices that can get old quickly. When you are trying to shake up your evening meal give this a go! And if you are looking to make more Italian food you can get inspiration from so many Italian cooks out there. This is the tip of the iceberg as far as tasty Italian treats are concerned. Enjoy!

Wednesday, January 15, 2020

How To Create The Perfect Night In Front Of The TV



If you’re anything like us, you’ll know that there’s nothing quite like sitting down in front of the TV for a night of entertainment for all the family. Not only is it a chance to watch something together, but you also get to hear the thoughts and opinions of others. It’s a great conversation-starter and an opportunity to bring everyone closer together.

With that said, though, how do you go about creating the perfect night in front of the TV? Take a look at the following tips.

Prepare Your Snacks

No evening in front of the TV is complete without a selection of great snacks and dishes. While you could grab something out of a packet, there’s nothing like making your nibbles fresh. Take a look at the following ideas:


  • Freshly-popped popcorn made in the pan or a machine
  • Homemade nachos with salsa, guacamole, cheese, and jalapenos
  • Hot dogs with all the trimmings
  • Homemade pretzels with a range of dipping sauces
  • Black bean brownies
  • Maple and pecan pie slices


Of course, the best option is to choose the type of food that your family likes the most. You want the kids and the parents to be happy.



If You Use A Streaming Service, Make Sure That It Is Smooth

The next task is to ensure that you have set up your TV in such a way that there won’t be any interruptions of the night’s viewing. For most people, this won’t be a problem at all - just use your regular terrestrial aerial or cable.

For those with newfangled streaming services, however, there may be problems. The good news, though, is that sites like TroyPoint provide information on how to eliminate buffering and enjoy smooth playback. All you need to do is follow a series of simple instructions, and once you’re done, you’ll have done everything you can to prevent the digital gods from wrecking your TV time.

Upgrade To 4K Content

If you’ve never watched 4K content before on a big screen, you’re in for a treat. The number of pixels on the screen makes the image so real that you could almost touch it. It is a massive step up from regular HD, which is 720p.

If you don’t have a 4K-capable TV, the good news is that they have come down in price considerably in recent years. While they are slightly more expensive than regular TVs, the price differential is minimal. The benefits, however, are substantial. Most new movies now come with a 4K format option.

Create Mood Lighting

Cinemas are the masters at creating mood lighting, getting you ready to watch a film, but it can be a challenge getting the same effect at home. Modern LED lights tend to produce a harsh white light, which isn’t always what you want when you settle down to watch a movie.

The good news, though, is that you can swap out regular LEDs, for ones that produce a redder and dimmer color tone. Then just use your dimmer switch to turn down the lights, and you’re ready for the perfect family evening.

Sunday, January 5, 2020

Why Is It So Hard To Manage Family Health?!

Depending on the type of family that you are, anything to do with family life is going to be hard. Some families find themselves in utter chaos all of the time, simply because the kids are full of energy, the weekends are so rushed, and the weeks are spent desperately trying to balance work and family life, whilst making sure the house is clean. Not every family is going to be this picture-perfect family, with well-behaved children who are doing the chores for you. For most of you reading this, that would have sounded like an absolute dream. So if the general gist of your family life is a little bit crazy, then you might also be struggling to keep your family healthy. There has never been a greater push at the minute to change the health of this world around. There are so many diseases and illnesses that are far more common now than they used to be, and that's mainly because of the way that we're living our lives. So, we're going to talk you through why it might be hard to manage your family's health and little things you can do to change your family's health and outlook on life.




One Of The Biggest Struggles

As a nation, we love going to the doctors about the smallest of issues. We actually waste a lot of time there on issues that clear up naturally within a day or two. But one specialist that we typically avoid as much as we can, is the dentist. Some see it as an inconvenience having to go. Some have a big fear that means they haven't been for years. But we're also a nation that is renowned for having poor diets and lifestyles which then directly affect our teeth. It's so common for people to lose a tooth or two due to a high sugar diet. Replacing your missing teeth has never been easier because of the incredible treatments that we can now have done. But not going to the dentist and causing this problem, in the beginning, is setting such a bad example for your children. They feed off of your fears, and it can be a sign of neglect if you aren't getting them into the dentist every time their check-up is due. Allowing your kids to grow up with pearly whites will also help to prevent a lot of insecurities!  Another medical professional that many of us forget to go and see is the optician. Most of us take our eye health for granted; it only becomes a problem when a noticeable issue arises. It may be that you need contact lenses or prescription sunglasses for driving. Your children also need to attend regular checkups with the eye doctor too. If you skip out on their appointments they may begin to struggle at school if they can’t see in the classroom. All in all, try to keep a diary of all of your family appointments so you never fall behind.

They Don't Play Outdoors Anymore

A truly sad state of affairs, but children are not playing outdoors as much as they used to. Once upon a time, a parent's biggest struggle would be trying to get their kids on the house before it went dark, and then shovel a plate of anything but chocolate and sweets down. But now kids are spending all of their time indoors, playing with toys, watching films, and using tablets as a form of distraction. It's leading to the health of children being worse than it has ever been before. This combined with the fact that children are always going to be fussy eaters, which means there are now more obese children in the world than there have ever been before. There's an obvious remedy, and that's to get them playing outdoors. In the street, or taking them to the park, or going to a soft play center for the day. There's so many things that they'll have far more fun doing, you just have to facilitate it!

Lead By Example

Your kids will follow every single example you set. Until they get a little bit older when they'll do anything to be the exact opposite of you, they'll be copying everything you're doing. So if you're eating a poor diet and living a lazy lifestyle that's exactly what they're going to do. So to get them to do what you want them to do, you have to do it first. Get up and eat a healthy breakfast, be positive and chirpy and singing, and generally have a good mindset. The more energy you have for life, the more energy they will have for life. Have good morals and values and make sure you apply it to their lives. You're literally creating the future generation, it has to be a positive one!

Calm Your Lifestyle Down

Finally, if you do always feel like your life is a big rush, and you're not having the chance to eat right, or even just live right, slow your lifestyle down. Stop working so much to earn money, change to a job that will pay you more!