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Time Business News
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time Business News
BEHIND THE ABSTRACT: Exploring Adrian Gabriel Dumitru's Hidden Messages and Reflections on Identity
In the realm of modern introspective literature, few authors provoke as much thoughtful self-questioning as the Romanian Adrian Gabriel Dumitru. His Kindle series, now including BEHIND THE ABSTRACT: … there is always a message (Love Essays … contradictory perceptions / Book 10), stands as a powerful reminder that what we see is often far removed from the truth that lies beneath. With the book available on Amazon, Google Play Books, and Apple Books, Dumitru continues his mission to guide readers toward deeper self-reflection, spiritual growth, and an honest look at the duality of the mind. Born in Romania, Adrian Gabriel Dumitru—often simply credited as Adrian Dumitru—has built a unique legacy in reflective essays that examine the quiet spaces within our minds. He weaves together ideas of illusory thoughts, inner conflict, and the illusion of identity into essays that feel like personal conversations with the reader. At the heart of his writing is an urgent desire to awaken our mindful awareness to the hidden messages embedded in everyday life. Unlike typical self-help books, Dumitru's BEHIND THE ABSTRACT is both subtle and provocative. The essays don't spoon-feed answers. Instead, they pose questions that challenge you to consider your own identity crisis, contradictory thoughts, and the fragile nature of human consciousness. Through these philosophical reflections, Dumitru creates a space for self-therapy through writing, a practice he passionately believes can unlock authentic personal transformation. A core idea in Dumitru's work is that life is coded with hidden messages—signs we often overlook in our rush for certainty. By slowing down, observing patterns, and practicing pattern recognition, we begin to decode these clues and gain insights into the deeper abstract meaning of our thoughts and actions. This journey reveals the paradox at the heart of existence: the tension between perception vs reality. Dumitru believes this tension is not a problem to be solved but a truth to be accepted. Modern life encourages us to build strong personal brands—clear, fixed versions of ourselves to present to the world. Dumitru argues that this is an illusion of identity. Beneath the roles we play lies a shifting mindscape of illusory thoughts and inner conflict. In BEHIND THE ABSTRACT, Dumitru challenges us to sit with these illusions, to explore them through self-reflection, and to embrace the existential thinking that arises when we admit how little we truly know about ourselves. Although Dumitru's book tackles complex ideas like the duality of the mind and human consciousness, it never strays far from its subtitle: Love Essays. Love, for Dumitru, is the thread that binds these contradictions together. It is through love—whether for a person, an idea, or the universe itself—that we find the courage to face our identity crisis, work through contradictory thoughts, and pursue spiritual growth. A defining feature of Dumitru's approach is his belief in writing as a tool for healing. His essays model how to turn writing into a mirror—reflecting our mind and emotion, revealing our inner conflict, and slowly transforming confusion into clarity. By practicing self-therapy through writing, readers can move beyond passive reading into active personal transformation. It's not about arriving at final answers but about becoming comfortable with the questions themselves. One of the book's most liberating insights is its embrace of contradictory thoughts. Dumitru insists that we do not need to force tidy resolutions. Instead, we can live in the tension between opposing ideas—seeing this not as weakness but as the birthplace of wisdom. This mindset fosters mindful awareness, a state in which we observe thoughts and feelings without judgment, recognizing that truth often lives between extremes. At a time when quick answers are just a search away, Dumitru's work reintroduces the art of existential thinking. He invites readers to look beyond their immediate struggles, to question the nature of reality, and to embrace the vastness of human consciousness. His essays remind us that it is possible to hold multiple truths at once—to accept uncertainty as a natural part of life's journey. If you are ready to explore the deep questions of your own mind and heart, BEHIND THE ABSTRACT is a perfect starting point. You can find it now on: Amazon Kindle Google Play Books Apple Books In the end, BEHIND THE ABSTRACT is more than a book. It's an invitation from Adrian Gabriel Dumitru—the Romanian voice of modern philosophical essays—to step away from the noise and sit quietly with your own thoughts. Through its exploration of illusory thoughts, the illusion of identity, dualities of the mind, and the timeless struggle of perception vs reality, this book offers a gentle but powerful reminder: beneath the abstract, there is always a message waiting to be heard. TIME BUSINESS NEWS
Time Business News
10-06-2025
- Business
- Time Business News
Top 10 Illustration designing Agencies in 2025
By 2025, the global illustration design market is anticipated to grow to a value of $6.5 billion. This is due to the fact that more individuals want to clearly express tales using computers, marketing, and brand marketing. American Digital Publishers is the undisputed winner in this category. The businesses listed below are notable for their excellence, expansion, and satisfied clients. 1. American Digital Publishers – The #1 Book Publishing Service for Aspiring Bestsellers Key Stats: Founded: 2011 Headquarters: Ashburn, Virginia, USA Client Satisfaction Rate: 97% Books Published (2024): 4,000+ Top Platforms Reached: Amazon, Apple Books, Google Books, Kobo, Barnes & Noble Average Book Launch Time: 10–14 business days Services: Book Writing (Fiction, Non-Fiction, Biographies, Romance, Children's Books) Professional Book Editing Children Book Illustration Services Custom Book Cover Design Full-Service Publishing & Distribution Strategic Book Marketing Author Branding & Promotion Ebook and Print Publishing American Digital Publishers leads the way in turning manuscripts into bestselling titles. With expert writers, editors, and designers, they offer a complete solution from ghostwriting to publishing on Amazon and Apple Books. Their creative team delivers standout covers and marketing assets that make books shine. By blending editorial quality with smart publishing and promotion, they ensure every book gets the spotlight it deserves. In 2025, they remain a top choice for first-time and self-publishing authors, helping bring every story to life professionally and powerfully. 2. DKNG Studios – Design-Driven Storytelling Key Stats: Founded: 2005 Location: Los Angeles, USA Notable Clients: Disney, Adobe, Netflix Posters Designed in 2024: 300+ Services: Poster & Packaging Design Iconography Infographic Illustrations Branding Visuals Merchandise Design The distinctive manner that DKNG Studios blends concept and style is the source of its moniker. California is home to its main office. They have collaborated with well-known companies like Disney, Adobe, and Warner Bros., demonstrating their ability to create visually striking and narrative images. DKNG is capable of creating logos, packs, and blurbs, among other things. For this reason, they attract a lot of customers who are looking for compelling visual narratives. 3. Invisible Creature – Retro Meets Futuristic Key Stats: Location: Seattle, USA Clients: NASA, Target, LEGO Active Since: 2006 Average Client Retention Rate: 85% Services: Album Art & Posters Product Packaging Children's Book Illustrations Merchandise Design Character Design Seattle's Invisible Creature is renowned in Seattle for showcasing both contemporary and classic designs. Their designs have appeared in LEGO, Target, and NASA projects. Their styles are well-known and they have many tiny details. Because it evokes feelings of nostalgia while seeing certain intricate plan elements, Imperceptible Creature stands out among the sketch scene. 4. Brosmind – Whimsical & Playful Illustrations Key Stats: Based in: Barcelona, Spain Clientele: Nike, Mailchimp, Clash of Clans 2024 Public Installations: 15+ Services: Comic Book Style Illustrations Advertising Campaign Art Character Development Product Packaging Art Event Murals & Urban Art Brosmind is a Spanish startup that creates drawings. They have a distinct and lively style. They were chosen by clients including Mailchimp and Clan of Clans because to their humorous style, which was influenced by fine workmanship. After the typical advertisements, Brosmind locks in open events and locations. These provide a fun touch while supporting various causes. 5. Illo Studio – Simplified Design Excellence Key Stats: Location: Turin, Italy Clients: Google, Apple, Slack Average Project Duration: 7 days Motion Graphics Delivered (2024): 1,200+ Services: Flat Design Illustrations Motion Design & Animation UI/UX Micro-interactions Icon Sets Data Visualization Illo is the New Art and Storytelling Italian Film Studios which excels in creating UI/UX plans, moving plans, and illustrations. These days, they depict individuals and narrate tales using delicate colors and lines. Illo's clients include Apple, Google, and Alibaba, and he enjoys working with companies who want to be ahead of the curve. 6. eDesign Interactive – Digital Engagement Experts Key Stats: Location: Morristown, NJ, USA Established: 2004 Website Projects in 2024: 250+ Industries Served: FMCG, Publishing, Education Services: Website Illustration & UX Integration Interactive Children's Book Designs Animated Brand Storytelling Digital Advertising Illustrations Augmented Reality Illustrations Based in New Jersey, eDesign Interactive is an intuitive design. They engage in a wide range of activities, including brand positioning, clever advertising, and site design. Well done on Welch's and ' Diary of a Wimpy Kid.' In digital commerce, their designs are crucial for locks. eDesign combines innovative technology with creative design to create patterns that are visually appealing and simple to comprehend. 7. IllustrationX – Global Marketplace of Illustration Talent Key Stats: Offices in: London, New York, Sydney Artists Represented: 200+ Styles Covered: 50+ styles across categories Average Commission Time: 3–10 days Services: Fashion Illustration Editorial & Magazine Illustration Technical Illustration Conceptual Art Animation & GIF Design This website offers a wide variety of artists with a wide range of genres for those looking to purchase artwork. It does this by listing abilities like assistance, marketing, specialty, and design. They can be certain that the work they perform aligns with their marketing message and appeals to the individuals they want to collaborate with since they deal with people from all over the globe. 8. The Working Assembly – Concept-Led Branding Illustrators Key Stats: Based in: New York, USA Industry Focus: Fashion, Tech, Food Awards: AIGA, Webby Awards Services: Conceptual Branding Illustrations Editorial Covers & Art Integrated Campaign Visuals Logo Systems & Icons Pitch Deck Visuals When it comes to creative organizing and advertising from conception to performance, no one is better than New York's The Working Get Together. Their art creates stunning images that vary according to each brand. It's hard to distinguish between excellent work and a plan. They have received art prizes for their passionate and imaginative advertisements concerning mold, technology, and consumer products. 9. Cabeza Patata – Specialists in 3D Character Illustration Key Stats: Offices: London & Madrid Clients: Spotify, LEGO, Costa Coffee 3D Characters Designed in 2024: 500+ Services: 3D Modeling & Character Design AR/VR Illustration for Mobile Brand Mascot Creation Mixed Media Animation Stop Motion and Short Films Many people have noticed their style in advertisements like Lego, Spotify, and Costa Coffee. Because Cabeza Patata can transform basic concepts into stunning artwork, medium-sized and big organizations in need of distinctive character outlines often pick it. Reasonably priced service options with unlimited data The Final Wrap Lastly, if businesses reconsider how to visually express tales using originality, talent, and adaptable styles, they will be able to create the greatest outline plans in 2025. American digital publishers are the greatest as it manages special projects, has global clientele, and reacts rapidly. Whether you are a display group, distributorship, or startup, these firms can provide your company with the innovation and consistent quality you need to stand out in today's fiercely competitive business market. TIME BUSINESS NEWS
Geeky Gadgets
06-05-2025
- Geeky Gadgets
10 Mind-Blowing iPhone Tricks You Need To Know!
Your iPhone is more than just a communication device—it's a versatile tool designed to enhance productivity, streamline daily tasks, and safeguard your personal information. However, many of its most powerful features often go unnoticed or underutilized. By exploring these ten essential iPhone tricks, you can unlock the full potential of your device. Whether you want to improve efficiency, manage notifications, or customize your settings, these tips will help you get the most out of your iPhone. The video below from Stephen Robles shows us these 10 awesome iPhone tricks. Watch this video on YouTube. 1. Take Control of Camera and Microphone Privacy Your iPhone includes advanced privacy tools to help you manage access to your camera and microphone. By navigating to the Control Center, you can adjust settings such as video resolution or enable features like voice isolation for clearer audio during calls or app usage. Additionally, you can review and modify app permissions in the Privacy settings to ensure that only trusted apps have access to your camera and microphone. These features give you greater control over your personal data, helping you maintain privacy and security. 2. Master Screenshot Shortcuts Screenshots are more than just static images—they're a powerful way to capture and share information quickly. After taking a screenshot, you can instantly annotate it using tools like the magnifier or markup features. For added convenience, you can save screenshots directly to apps like Apple Books for future reference. These tools make it easier to organize, edit, and share screenshots, saving you time and effort when managing visual content. 3. Use Your Camera as a Text Scanner Your iPhone's camera is equipped with Optical Character Recognition (OCR) technology, allowing it to function as a text scanner. This feature enables you to scan text from physical documents and insert it directly into apps like Notes, Messages, or even third-party platforms. Whether you're digitizing handwritten notes, extracting information from printed materials, or copying text from a sign, this tool is an efficient way to convert physical text into digital formats. 4. Edit Audio Messages Before Sending Audio messages are a convenient way to communicate, but mistakes can happen. With the latest iOS updates, you can now edit or add to audio messages before sending them. This ensures your message is clear and accurate. Additionally, transcription features in iOS 18 automatically convert audio messages into text, making them easier to reference later. These enhancements provide greater flexibility and clarity when using audio messaging. 5. Customize Your Battery Widget The customizable battery widget is a simple yet effective way to monitor the power levels of your devices. By adding this widget to your lock screen or home screen, you can view the battery percentages of your iPhone, AirPods, Apple Watch, and other connected devices at a glance. This feature helps you stay informed about your device's power levels, making sure you're always prepared for the day ahead. 6. Organize Safari Tabs with Ease Managing multiple tabs in Safari can be overwhelming, but your iPhone offers tools to simplify the process. You can group tabs into categories, making it easier to keep related content organized. Additionally, the drag-and-drop feature allows you to move multiple tabs simultaneously, streamlining your workflow. These tools are particularly useful for research, multitasking, or managing projects that require browsing across different topics. 7. Access Calculator History The Calculator app now includes a history feature, allowing you to revisit previous calculations without re-entering data. This is especially helpful for complex calculations or when you need to double-check your work. By swiping down within the app, you can view a list of recent calculations, making it easier to track and verify your results. 8. Prioritize App Downloads When downloading multiple apps, you can prioritize or pause specific downloads directly from the app library. This feature ensures that essential apps are ready to use first, saving you time during setup. By long-pressing on an app icon, you can choose to prioritize its download, allowing you to focus on what matters most. 9. Simplify Settings Searches Navigating through the iPhone's extensive settings menu can be time-consuming, but Spotlight search simplifies the process. By typing a keyword on the home screen, you can jump directly to the relevant setting without scrolling through menus. This feature is particularly useful for quickly adjusting preferences or troubleshooting issues, helping you save time and effort. 10. Manage Notifications Effectively Notifications can quickly become overwhelming, but your iPhone offers tools to keep them under control. From the lock screen or notification center, you can mute or disable notifications for specific apps. Temporary muting options allow you to silence notifications for a set period without permanently changing your settings. These tools help you maintain focus and reduce distractions, making sure a more streamlined experience. Bonus Tips to Enhance Your Experience In addition to the ten tricks outlined above, consider these bonus tips to further optimize your iPhone usage: Share reminders as PDFs instead of collaborating on lists. This is particularly useful for sharing finalized task lists or schedules with others. Use temporary muting options to manage app notifications without disrupting your workflow or missing important updates. Enable Focus modes to customize notification settings based on your current activity, such as work, personal time, or sleep. By incorporating these additional tips, you can further refine your iPhone experience and tailor it to your specific needs. Maximize Your iPhone's Potential Your iPhone is packed with features designed to make your life easier, but their effectiveness depends on how well you use them. By adopting these ten tricks and bonus tips, you can enhance your productivity, protect your privacy, and customize your device to suit your lifestyle. Explore these features today and discover how they can transform the way you use your iPhone. Gain further expertise in iPhone privacy controls by checking out these recommendations. Source & Image Credit: Stephen Robles Filed Under: Apple, Apple iPhone, Top News Latest Geeky Gadgets Deals Disclosure: Some of our articles include affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, Geeky Gadgets may earn an affiliate commission. Learn about our Disclosure Policy.
South China Morning Post
29-04-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
‘Japan's Holocaust' claim of 30 million wartime killings stirs outrage, death threats
A book by a US historian claiming Imperial Japanese Forces killed 30 million people across Asia in the early 20th century has faced a fierce backlash in Japan , with conservative scholars denouncing it as propaganda and the author receiving death threats. Advertisement Japan's Holocaust, published last year, argues that Japanese expansionism between 1927 and 1945 led to atrocities surpassing the death toll caused by Nazi Germany in Europe. The book, which its author Bryan Rigg began researching during his PhD at Yale in 1993, has sold 6,000 copies to date, with a Korean translation in the works and Chinese publishers expressing interest. The book's central claim – that at least 30 million people were killed during Japan's 'reckless campaigns' across Asia and the Pacific – is compounded by the assertion that then-Emperor Hirohito not only knew of the atrocities but 'actually ordered them'. Rigg chronicles mass civilian murders, the systematic use of rape as a weapon of war, and the starvation and destruction inflicted on millions in China, Korea, Southeast Asia and the Pacific, which he describes as 'overwhelming and undeniable'. 'Japan's Holocaust' by US historian Bryan Rigg. Photo: Apple Books 'To this day, the refusal by some Japanese voices to acknowledge this history adds a new layer of injustice to the memory of those who perished,' Rigg, who also wrote Hitler's Jewish Soldiers, told This Week in Asia.
USA Today
18-04-2025
- Business
- USA Today
Find a 'golden ticket' for free audiobooks at Nook & Cranny this Indie Bookstore Day
Find a 'golden ticket' for free audiobooks at Nook & Cranny this Indie Bookstore Day Show Caption Hide Caption E-reader tips and tricks for Kindle, Apple Books These E-reader tips and tricks are handy for your Kindle or Apple Books. ProblemSolved, USA TODAY Independent bookstores are the heartbeats of their communities. They provide culture and community, generate local jobs and sales tax revenue, promote literacy and education, champion and center diverse and new authors, connect readers to books in a personal and authentic way and actively support the right to read and access to books in their communities. Each week we profile an independent bookstore, sharing what makes each one special and getting their expert and unique book recommendations. This week we have Maren Comendant, owner of Nook & Cranny Books in Seattle, Washington, just in time for their grand re-opening on Indie Bookstore Day next Saturday, April 26. What's your store's story? Nook & Cranny is a queer, femme-owned shop that opened in June 2022 to elevate marginalized voices and tell unusual stories. As the name would suggest, we are pocket-sized and cozy, with books organized by mood or topic like "Cheaper Than Therapy," "When You're Feeling Witchy," or "Books About Books" – one of my personal favorites. Despite limited capacity, we pack in as much community connection as we can, with book clubs, author events, an art group and a well-attended open mic. We are in the process of moving our storefront and Indie Bookstore Day will serve as our official Grand Opening. What makes your independent bookstore unique? Folks love the non-traditional organization, which encourages getting lost in the shelves and surprising yourself with unexpected finds. It's an ideal store for the curious reader of any age. The intimate space also allows for highly personalized service and recommendations for those looking to find the perfect gift or travel read. We strive to be a third place that fosters community, found family and the elevation of marginalized voices. What's your favorite section in your store? My favorite shelf in the store is the "Where in the World?" shelf, where we feature books from a different country or region every month. I love exploring books in translation and learning about the world. This is also the category that inspires our "Read Around the World" book club. What book do you love to recommend to customers and why? For kids (and kids at heart) I always recommend the "A Narwhal and Jelly" series by Seattle local Ben Clanton. My current favorite in the series is "Narwhalicorn and Jelly," when the characters visit a unicorn planet and the unicorns come to visit the ocean. The books can be read in any order. I love the illustrations and the relatable, admirable friendship. Jelly can be a bit of a stick-in-the-mud and sometimes Narwhal can be a bad friend, but they always learn from their mistakes and become better friends for it. What book do you think deserves more attention and why? "Ceremony" by Leslie Marmon Silko and "They Will Drown in Their Mothers' Tears" by Johannes Anyuru quickly catapulted their way into my all-time top 10. "Ceremony" is a 1977 novel that is considered a modern classic by many, but should be required reading because of its exquisite writing on the traumas of war and colonialism. Johannes Anyuru is a Swedish-Ugandan poet and his astonishing book is part dystopian sci-fi, part time-travel and part scathing indictment of the Islamophobia and anti-immigration policies rampant in Sweden (and here at home). Saskia Vogel's translation is perfect, and I recommend it to everyone I can. Why is shopping at local, independent bookstores important? You get personal service, you're more likely to find local and indie authors represented, your money gets cycled back into the local economy and we donate to local orgs too. We have our fingers firmly on the pulse of the local community and strive to adapt our businesses to meet the specific needs and desires of that community. We advocate for you. What are some of your store's events, programs, or partnerships coming up that you would like to share? For Indie Bookstore Day, we will have snacks, door prizes, a book exchange, Indie Bookstore Day exclusives and special editions of some favorite titles. Somewhere in the store, there will be a hidden Golden Ticket, good for a year's worth of audiobooks. We'll also be participating in the Seattle Indie Bookstore Day Book Crawl with nearly 30 other stores in the Seattle area. We also host a monthly "Read Around the World" book club in person every 4th Sunday, a twice-monthly open mic every 1st and 3rd Thursday, and "Trans*pire: a Trans Creative Group" is a newly added monthly meet-up for trans, nonbinary and genderqueer writers, artists and other creatives to co-work, share and network. We currently partner with local arts orgs Noveltease Theatre and Joketellers Union to promote their regular shows and we're always looking for new, fun partnerships with the other small businesses on our street. (This article was updated to include video.)
