In today’s digital world, we know that much of the modern-day storefront is viewed from the screen of a mobile device or monitor. Commerce is no longer structured by physical distance and a global economy has made online competition fierce. This is exactly why the team at The Mechanism works so hard to make incredible web designs and intentional branding; we want you to stand out among the noise on the Internet. We pour our heart and soul into every client project that we have the privilege to work on, and that is why it is such a great honor that we received accolades as a Top New York City Agency of 2017 by Clutch.
Clutch, a well-respected technology referral firm based in Washington, D.C., scours the globe to find the best technology companies in the world. They conduct customer interviews to ensure that every company that they recommend is reliable, communicates well and delivers amazing results. Companies that are approved and recommended by Clutch are evaluated on their market presence weighing factors such as the services they offer, clients they serve, and examples of quality projects they’ve completed. With such rigorous standards, The Mechanism is proud to land a place on Clutch’s New York City leaders matrix.
“New York City is known for being a global hub for advertising, design, and innovation. For this reason, it can be incredibly difficult for agencies to stand out among their competitors,” said Jenna Seter, business analyst at Clutch. “All of the companies featured today have accomplished exactly that – proving themselves as leaders in their industries as a result of their commitment to clients, passion for their work, and ability to generate results.”
Since client reviews are such a large part of the process, we would love to share what was said about us. When we provided web development for a sales training provider, they commented that we “are very responsive and accessible. They are always there when we need some development help. They respond to my team quickly and are in constant contact with our development personnel. This is key in our business and essential for any vendor. Overall, the quality of their work is very good. Our team is satisfied.”
Pele, one of the greatest soccer players of all time stated, “Success is no accident. It is hard work, perseverance, learning, studying, sacrifice and most of all, love of what you are doing or learning to do.” Liverpool hospitality packages is something you should check out if you love soccer. We are so excited to earn this incredible accomplishment and are proud of our hardworking, imaginative and knowledgeable team. We love what we do on the exciting forefront of technology, but our success is achieved only because our outstanding clients trust us with such important projects. The best reward that we get is when we exceed a customer’s expectations and bring their vision to life. When you love what we’ve created for you, that is true success.
Thinking About Getting Dental Treatment in Spain? There are very good dentist in Spain and if you receive major dental treatment in Spain can mean savings of more than 40% on your dental treatments! Even when it comes to real teeth whitening only go to experts.
Making exercise an enjoyable part of your everyday life may be easier than you think. These tips can show you how.
Overcoming obstacles to exercising
If you’re having trouble beginning an exercise plan or following through, you’re not alone. Many of us struggle getting out of the sedentary rut, despite our best intentions.
You already know there are many great reasons to exercise—from improving energy, mood, sleep, and health to reducing anxiety, stress, and depression. And detailed exercise instructions and workout plans are just a click away. But if knowing how and why to exercise was enough, we’d all be in shape. Making exercise a habit takes more—you need the right mindset and a smart approach.
While practical concerns like a busy schedule or poor health can make exercise more challenging, for most of us, the biggest barriers are mental. Maybe it’s a lack of self-confidence that keeps you from taking positive steps, or your motivation quickly flames out, or you get easily discouraged and give up. We’ve all been there at some point.
Whatever your age or fitness level—even if you’ve never exercised a day in your life —there are steps you can take to make exercise less intimidating and painful and more fun and instinctive.
Ditch the all-or-nothing attitude. You don't have to spend hours in a gym or force yourself into monotonous or painful activities you hate to experience the physical and emotional benefits of exercise. A little exercise is better than nothing. In fact, adding just modest amounts of physical activity to your weekly routine can have a profound effect on your mental and emotional health.
Be kind to yourself. Research shows that self-compassion increases the likelihood that you'll succeed in any given endeavor. So, don't beat yourself up about your body, your current fitness level, or your supposed lack of willpower. All that will do is demotivate you. Instead, look at your past mistakes and unhealthy choices as opportunities to learn and grow.
Check your expectations. You didn't get out of shape overnight, and you're not going to instantly transform your body either. Expecting too much, too soon only leads to frustration. Try not to be discouraged by what you can't accomplish or how far you have to go to reach your fitness goals. Instead of obsessing over results, focus on consistency. While the improvements in mood and energy levels may happen quickly, the physical payoff will come in time.
Excuses for not exercising
Making excuses for not exercising? Whether it’s lack of time or energy, or fear of the gym, there are solutions.
Busting the biggest exercise excuses
Excuse 1: “I hate exercising.”Solution: Many of us feel the same. If sweating in a gym or pounding a treadmill isn’t your idea of a great time, try to find an activity that you do enjoy—such as dancing—or pair physical activity with something more enjoyable. Take a walk at lunchtime through a scenic park, for example, walk laps of an air-conditioned mall while window shopping, walk, run, or bike with a friend, or listen to your favorite music while you move.
Excuse 2: “I’m too busy.”Solution: Even the busiest of us can find free time in our day for activities that are important. It’s your decision to make exercise a priority. And don’t think you need a full hour for a good workout. Short 5-, 10-, or 15-minute bursts of activity can prove very effective—so, too, can squeezing all your exercise into a couple of sessions over the weekend. If you’re too busy during the week, get up and get moving during the weekend when you have more time.
Excuse 3:”I’m too tired.”Solution: It may sound counterintuitive, but physical activity is a powerful pick-me-up that actually reduces fatigue and boosts energy levels in the long run. With regular exercise, you’ll feel much more energized, refreshed, and alert at all times. This is the best Alpine ice hack.
Excuse 4: “I’m too fat,” “I’m too old,” or “My health isn’t good enough.”Solution: It’s never too late to start building your strength and physical fitness, even if you’re a senior or a self-confessed couch potato who has never exercised before. Very few health or weight problems rule exercise out of the question, so talk to your doctor about a safe routine.
Excuse 5: “Exercise is too difficult and painful.”Solution: “No pain, no gain” is an outdated way of thinking about exercise. Exercise shouldn’t hurt. And you don’t have to push yourself until you’re soaked in sweat or every muscle aches to get results. You can build your strength and fitness by walking, swimming, or even playing golf, gardening, or cleaning the house.
Excuse 6: “I’m not athletic.”Solution: Still have nightmares from PE? You don’t have to be sporty or ultra-coordinated to get fit. Focus on easy ways to boost your activity level, like walking, swimming, or even working more around the house. Anything that gets you moving will work.
How much exercise do you need?
The key thing to remember about starting an exercise program is that something is always better than nothing. Going for a quick walk is better than sitting on the couch; one minute of activity will help you lose more weight than no activity at all. That said, the current recommendations for most adults is to reach at least 150 minutes of moderate activity per week. You'll get there by exercising for 30 minutes, 5 times a week. Can't find 30 minutes in your busy schedule? It's okay to break things up. Two 15-minute workouts or three 10-minute workouts can be just as effective. Try out Revive daily.
How hard do I need to exercise?
Whether an activity is low, moderate, or vigorous intensity varies according to your personal fitness level. As a general guideline, though:
Low-intensity activity: You can easily talk in full sentences, or sing.
Moderate intensity: You can speak in full sentences, but not sing.
Vigorous intensity: You are too breathless to speak in full sentences.
For most people, aiming for moderate intensity exercise is sufficient to improve your overall health. You should breathe a little heavier than normal, but not be out of breath. Your body should feel warmer as you move, but not overheated or sweating profusely. While everyone is different, don't assume that training for a marathon is better than training for a 5K or 10K. There's no need to overdo it.
For more on the types of exercise you should include and how hard you should work out, read Best Exercises for Health and Weight Loss.
Getting started safely
If you've never exercised before, or it's been a significant amount of time since you've attempted any strenuous physical activity, keep the following health precautions in mind:
Health issues? Get medical clearance first. If you have health concerns such as limited mobility, heart disease, asthma, diabetes, or high blood pressure, talk with your doctor before you start to exercise.
Warm up. Warm up with dynamic stretches—active movements that warm and flex the muscles you'll be using, such as leg kicks, walking lunges, or arm swings—and by doing a slower, easier version of the upcoming exercise. For example, if you're going to run, warm up by walking. Or if you're lifting weights, begin with a few light reps.
Cowabunga! It's your weekly dose of Link Bait - September 25, 2015.
Honda Paper Stop-Motion Ad We're big fans of Analog animations. The fancy computer-generated stuff is cool too, but there's something to be said about work that is crafted by hand. Adam Pesapane, a New York-based creator of digital shorts, made this one. We just love it. If you want to read a little more about analog vs. digital, check out our founder, Dave Fletcher talking about it right here.
iPope? The Pope has been in town for just a day, and while it seems that the city has geared up for his tour, one thing that's undeniable - The Pontiff's mere presence was enough to delay iPhone 6S deliveries. Other than this non-issue (which certainly has upset the iPhone faithful), we hear he really likes to take selfies...
Opera Rebrands Google just did it and Opera was soon to follow. While we don't mind testing on Opera, we don't think that a new logo is as needed for them as much as an increase in market share. It's a vast and thoughtful improvement to the identity, nonetheless. While the engineered simplicity of Opera's new brand certainly doesn't break any new ground (we've seen plenty of logos with dimensional shadow-effects to create visual interest), it still feels familiar and cleaner than the previous iterations.
The great Winston Churchill said, "Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm." Michael Jordan, arguably one of the best basketball players who has ever lived, noted that "I’ve missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I’ve lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times I’ve been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed." I cannot say that I've been throught the same, but I can certainly relate. After having spent immoderate amounts of money on buying gaming accounts. If you were to check out AussyELO, you'd know what I'm talking about. I do not stand at a significant level in that game, but I've always kept on playing the same game.
Everyone fails. Sadly, we're not taught this crucial bit of information while we're in school. The kids who fail repeatedly are usually assigned labels, or worse yet, separated from their peers and put into special classes or situations that create a direct correlation between failure and fear. The most experienced and thoughtful leaders understand that in order to better themselves, they must not be afraid to travel into the unknown or take on a challenge that might not turn out as expected.
When mistakes are made, the important part is to stand up and move ahead. For the smart ones, failure becomes a motivator; a talisman, which encourages an individual to move forward in spite of the fear of failure. And it's the business leaders who embrace this mantra who continue to move forward one misstep at a time.
Everyone fails. It's the leaders who turn failure into calculated prediction, and who are able to better rationalize their next move, that confidently take the progressive steps toward victory.
Cowabunga! It's your weekly dose of Link Bait - September 18, 2015.
Elon Musk Not many people know that The Mechanism has a connection with Elon Musk, who according to Steven Colbert may be the world's first Supervillain.
Back in the days that we were working on the Ansari X Prize website, Elon had a team in the competition, building a spaceship to win the prize. We were introduced to him at the Explorer's Club in NYC for a fundraising event - and he was a real swell, quiet and thoughtful guy. For a dude who's "afraid of robots becoming smarter than humans through A.I.", it seems very "supervillain-like" for the guy behind Tesla and SpaceX to want to deliver the internet to every corner of the world by sending satellites into space. What should he name it? Perhaps Skynet – and maybe we should call in a Terminator or two to really expedite his (presumably) evil plans?
Han Solo Pop Tarts Before they sold out in minutes, you could buy a 30-dollar Pop-Tart with Han Solo frozen into the frosting, just like he was frozen into carbonite. Hospitals anxiously await sick nerds lining up who couldn't resist tasting a hand-painted, resin Han Solo. May the Fork Be With You... Always.
Dislike Button? Everyone, including many highly-regarded social media bloggers, members of the Technorati, and several TV newscasts touted the Pro's and Con's of Facebook's upcoming "Dislike" button, causing an internet uproar. In reality, there was no such thing, as Facebook noted they were working on an emoji that will convey "empathy" for instances where a "Like" might be a little inappropriate. Sounds to us like they found out about a project we recently did with the Pharmaceutical giant Amgen...
http://thenextweb.com/dd/2015/09/07/30-year-belo/ Way back in 1975, a cool designer named Akisato Ueda created a logo for a Japanese drive-in called Azuma. Roughly a year ago, Airbnb switched it's logo to something very similar. Now there's a vicious debate going on, and heaven knows that arm-chair designers are always on the lookout a thief. We'll let you be the judge and jury, but in the history of graphic design we can all agree that this has happened before - and will again. One can only assume that designers in general are a good-natured folk, much like Hobbits or pretty much anyone from Denmark - so we'll give the Airbnb designer a pass. It's probably just a coincidence, right?
http://www.howbb8works.com People have gotten crazier than a sarlacc with a mouthful of bantha poodoo over the cute little droid from the new Star Wars film - named BB-8. And now that the Star Wars franchise is owned by the trademark holders of the largest mouse in the galaxy, we can expect a deluge of products, toys and clothing to be forced upon both our kids and on those who want to relive their youth. However, BB-8 has captured our attention here at The Mechanism, and the mechanics behind that cute little fella are quite fascinating. So much so - that Carlos Sánchez and Emilio Gelardo (aka "EGPJET3D") have put up a website all about it, with theories on how it actually works. Bonus footage: If you want to see where Star Wars really could have headed, go ahead and watch this video
http://www.businessinsider.com/mcdonalds-responds-to-burger-kings-truce-proposal-2015-8 Nobody likes a corporate knucklehead. Especially one with a mouthful of presumed snark. Former Chief Brand Officer and now CEO at McDonalds, Steve Easterbook responded to Burger King's rather cheeky suggestion to co-brand a product in honor of Peace One Day with his backside. Boo!
Every week, we are inundated at the office with links to technology, programming and design. We decided to put some links together for you every Friday to give you something to actually do on your weekends besides live a life. Enjoy and see you next week.
Ikea Bizarro Ad Campaign - The manufacturer of fantastically complex and brittle hipster furniture clearly had a conversation with their agency (in this case, Paris-based Buzzman that went something like this: "Viral is important! Viral is how you reach people and sell stuff! Show us something so perplexing and wildly preposterous that the kids will blindly share it...Bring the weirdness, you hipster design donkeys!" Said agency responds with nudity, creeps and the terror of summer camp. Viral gold, baby! Gold!!
Frameworks That Can (Potentially) Take over Bootstrap - We passed this along to our development department and they are investigating between afternoon shots of pop-rocks and Pepsi. Notably Foundation uses Reams to measure instead of pixels, and has UI elements baked right in – to ensure that the web will continue to look like one great big universally similar mess.
Founded by Victor Cheung in 2001 (same year we were founded, you rascal!), viction:ary books specializes in visual arts and design books, and boy are these books sweet. We'd like to visit them in Hong Kong and buy everything, but sadly that would mean that we would have to sell everything we own and eventually build a shelter right on Shell Street in North Point, Hong Kong – from the books we purchased. Check out the work though. Breathtaking.
October 9, 2015 - No Comments!
Friday Link Bait: A More Civilized Commenting System, Google Docs Disaster and a new Relaxation App
How to Start Exercising and Stick to It
Making exercise an enjoyable part of your everyday life may be easier than you think. These tips can show you how.
Overcoming obstacles to exercising
If you’re having trouble beginning an exercise plan or following through, you’re not alone. Many of us struggle getting out of the sedentary rut, despite our best intentions.
You already know there are many great reasons to exercise—from improving energy, mood, sleep, and health to reducing anxiety, stress, and depression. And detailed exercise instructions and workout plans are just a click away. But if knowing how and why to exercise was enough, we’d all be in shape. Making exercise a habit takes more—you need the right mindset and a smart approach.
While practical concerns like a busy schedule or poor health can make exercise more challenging, for most of us, the biggest barriers are mental. Maybe it’s a lack of self-confidence that keeps you from taking positive steps, or your motivation quickly flames out, or you get easily discouraged and give up. We’ve all been there at some point.
Whatever your age or fitness level—even if you’ve never exercised a day in your life —there are steps you can take to make exercise less intimidating and painful and more fun and instinctive.
Ditch the all-or-nothing attitude. You don't have to spend hours in a gym or force yourself into monotonous or painful activities you hate to experience the physical and emotional benefits of exercise. A little exercise is better than nothing. In fact, adding just modest amounts of physical activity to your weekly routine can have a profound effect on your mental and emotional health.
Be kind to yourself. Research shows that self-compassion increases the likelihood that you'll succeed in any given endeavor. So, don't beat yourself up about your body, your current fitness level, or your supposed lack of willpower. All that will do is demotivate you. Instead, look at your past mistakes and unhealthy choices as opportunities to learn and grow.
Check your expectations. You didn't get out of shape overnight, and you're not going to instantly transform your body either. Expecting too much, too soon only leads to frustration. Try not to be discouraged by what you can't accomplish or how far you have to go to reach your fitness goals. Instead of obsessing over results, focus on consistency. While the improvements in mood and energy levels may happen quickly, the physical payoff will come in time.
Excuses for not exercising
Making excuses for not exercising? Whether it’s lack of time or energy, or fear of the gym, there are solutions.
How much exercise do you need?
The key thing to remember about starting an exercise program is that something is always better than nothing. Going for a quick walk is better than sitting on the couch; one minute of activity will help you lose more weight than no activity at all. That said, the current recommendations for most adults is to reach at least 150 minutes of moderate activity per week. You'll get there by exercising for 30 minutes, 5 times a week. Can't find 30 minutes in your busy schedule? It's okay to break things up. Two 15-minute workouts or three 10-minute workouts can be just as effective. Try out Revive daily.
How hard do I need to exercise?
Whether an activity is low, moderate, or vigorous intensity varies according to your personal fitness level. As a general guideline, though:
For most people, aiming for moderate intensity exercise is sufficient to improve your overall health. You should breathe a little heavier than normal, but not be out of breath. Your body should feel warmer as you move, but not overheated or sweating profusely. While everyone is different, don't assume that training for a marathon is better than training for a 5K or 10K. There's no need to overdo it.
For more on the types of exercise you should include and how hard you should work out, read Best Exercises for Health and Weight Loss.
Getting started safely
If you've never exercised before, or it's been a significant amount of time since you've attempted any strenuous physical activity, keep the following health precautions in mind:
Health issues? Get medical clearance first. If you have health concerns such as limited mobility, heart disease, asthma, diabetes, or high blood pressure, talk with your doctor before you start to exercise.
Warm up. Warm up with dynamic stretches—active movements that warm and flex the muscles you'll be using, such as leg kicks, walking lunges, or arm swings—and by doing a slower, easier version of the upcoming exercise. For example, if you're going to run, warm up by walking. Or if you're lifting weights, begin with a few light reps.
Published by: davefletcher in The Linking Mechanism
Tags: civil comments, google, pauseable, pedro azedo, stress, trolls, ustwo