5 Things You Can Learn From The Story Of WhatsApp

WhatsApp Messenger is an American proprietary cross-platform instant messaging client for smartphones. It uses the Internet to send text messages, documents, images, video, user location and audio media messages to other users using standard cellular mobile numbers.

The Success story of WhatsApp
WhatsApp Inc., was founded in 2009 by Brian Acton and Jan Koum, both former employees of Yahoo!. After Koum and Acton left Yahoo! in September 2007, the duo traveled to South America as a break from work. Koum  chose the name "WhatsApp" because it sounded like "what's up", and a week later on his birthday, on February 24, 2009, he incorporated WhatsApp Inc. in California. However, early WhatsApp kept crashing or getting stuck and at a particular point, Koum felt like giving up and looking for a new job, upon which Acton encouraged him to wait for a "few more months".

In June 2009, Apple launched push notifications, letting developers ping users when they were not using an app. Koum updated WhatsApp so that each time the user changed their statuses, it would ping everyone in the user's network. 

WhatsApp 2.0 was released with a messaging component and the active users suddenly swelled to 250,000. Koum visited Acton, who was still unemployed while managing another unsuccessful startup and decided to join the company. In October Acton persuaded five ex-Yahoo! friends to invest $250,000 in seed funding, and as a result was granted co-founder status and a stake. He officially joined on November 1. After months at beta stage, the application eventually launched in November 2009 exclusively on the App Store for the iPhone. Koum then hired an old friend who lived in Los Angeles, Chris Peiffer, to make the BlackBerry version, which arrived two months later.^[16]

WhatsApp was switched from a free to paid service to avoid growing too fast, mainly because the primary cost was sending verification texts to users. In December 2009 WhatsApp for the iPhone was updated to send photos. By early 2011, WhatsApp was in the top 20 of all apps in Apple's U.S. App Store.

On February 19, 2014, months after a venture capital financing round at a $1.5 billion valuation, Facebook announced it was acquiring WhatsApp for US$19 billion, its largest acquisition to date.

WhatsApp Web

WhatsApp was officially made available for PCs through a web client, under the name WhatsApp Web, in late January 2015 through an announcement made by Koum on his Facebook page: "Our web client is simply an extension of your phone: the web browser mirrors conversations and messages from your mobile device—this means all of your messages still live on your phone". The WhatsApp user's handset must still be connected to the Internet for the browser application to function. All major desktop browsers are supported except for Microsoft Internet Explorer. WhatsApp Web's user interface is based on the default Android one.:

As of February 2016, WhatsApp had a user base of one billion,making it the most popular messaging application

Source:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WhatsApp

About Jan Koum and Brian Acton :

It has been an incredible journey for Jan Koum (39years old)who lived on food stamps as a teenager.

He led a life full of hardships as his family struggled hard to meet ends meet. His house did not even have electricity, says Forbes.
 
Jan Koum used to do menial jobs like cleaning and mopping at a grocery store while his mother took up a baby sitting job. Life took a tragic turn when his mother was diagnosed with cancer.
 
They lived on allowances from the government, according to Forbes.

The idea was to get people across the world to network on a single platform effortlessly.
 
It took him months of back-breaking work and testing to get the code in place.There were several trying times when things would not fall in place.

Brian Acton(Age 42) grew up in central Florida and went to two different universities before graduating from Stanford University in 1994 with a degree in computer sciences. 

After getting his degree he started working for Apple as a software engineer. It was in 1996 that he started working for Yahoo! as the 44th employee. Acton began as a software engineer, focussing on Advertising and Data Processing.

How they met

Koum met Acton while he was working for Ernst & Young as a security tester and was assigned to inspect Yahoo!’s advertising system. Acton recalls that he found Koum to be very different from the other Ernst and Young people, he was more straight forward.

It turned out Koum liked Acton’s no-nonsense style: “Neither of us has an ability to bullshit,” says Koum. Six months later Koum interviewed at Yahoo! and got a job as a software engineer. During their time at Yahoo their friendship grew and by 2007 they both quit their jobs and traveled through South-America and played ultimate frisbee.

Koum came up with the idea for WhatsApp in 2009 during a movie night at a friends place. It started out as an idea to send notifications to friends, but soon evolved to an instant messaging app. Acton got involved after a match of ultimate frisbee. Koum was telling Acton that he thought about giving up and wanted look for steady job. Acton replied by saying “You’d be an idiot to quit now. Give it a few more months.”

Jan Koum who dislikes any kind of publicity, has even refused to put up a sign board outside their WhatsApp office.

The most interesting part of their journey is that both Jan Koum and Brian Acton applied for a job in Facebook and were rejected in 2009.

Another fascinating aspect is, WhatsApp runs lean with just 32 engineers. One WhatsApp developer supports 14 million active users, a ratio unheard of in the industry, Jim Goetz explains in a blog on Sequoia Capital's website.

Five things we can learn from Jan Koum and Brian Acton

1. You are never too old to start a business, not even a tech business. Acton even argues that their age is an advantage, saying that his vision is not clouded by the urge to be cool, they just want to be practical.
2. Persistence is the only way. The story of Koum is one of a lot hardship and let downs, Brian lost a fortune in the dotcom bubble and got rejected by multiple companies, but both men came out on top through hard work and perseverance.
3. Having a common interest is key to success. One might argue that if there was no ultimate frisbee, there would be no Whatsapp. These men became friends on the workfloor, but stayed in contact through their love for the sport. And it was at one of these matches Acton told Koum that he shouldn’t give up.
4. Make sure your co-founder is the yin to your yang. You can really see in this case how important it is that the person you work with fills the gaps that you are missing. Your co-founder should have all the qualities you don’t have.
5. Think long term, together. Acton and Koum had a clear vision of what their product was going to be. They both were on the same page and understood exactly what their product is and more important, what is was going to be.
6. 
   
7. Source:https://medium.com/the-story-of-grip/5-things-every-founder-can-learn-from-the-story-of-whatsapp-b6496bc4f54d#.i17ewse6y

25 Health Tips Are All You Need to Live Well

Health is Wealth. By keeping up our good health, not only we can enjoy our life better, all our family members, relatives,and friends will also be happier.

So let us try to follow as many of these 25 tips given below and live longer happier

and healthier.

1. If you feel like eating but are not sure if you’re really hungry, ask yourself if you’d like to have an apple. If the answer is ‘no’, you’re most likely bored rather than hungry.

2. Exercising before going to bed makes your muscles burn more calories during the night.

3. Crying releases excess stress hormones and is scientifically proven to ease mental strain.

4. A mid-day nap improves your memory and reduces the chances of developing heart diseases.

5. If you’re feeling anxious and stressed, eat a melon. Melons help relieve anxiety and stress, plus they boost your metabolism.

6. Start learning a new language or how to play an instrument. These actions help slow down the brain’s aging process.

7. While driving, chew mint or cinnamon-flavored gum. It has been proven to reduce feelings of frustration by 25%, increase your vigilance by 30%, and makes the drive feel 30% shorter.

8. You can ‘program’ your brain to be happy in a simple way: think of three things you’re grateful for every day. Do this for 21 days and you’ll notice the change.

9. Skipping a meal can cause you to gain weight. Your body thinks you’re going through a famine, which causes it to work in energy-saving mode and makes burning calories more difficult.

10. Listening to music regularly is said to reduce the chances of developing a brain tumor.

11. Drink two cups of cold water before a meal, as this boosts metabolism by up to 30%.

12. If you suffer from headaches or mental stress, lie down next to a wall with your legs elevated and leaning against the wall at a 90-degree angle. Maintain this position for 5 minutes.

13. Running for half an hour a day will help you reduce 0.5kg (1 lb) of fat a week.

14. Drinking a lot of water during the day helps you sleep better at night.

15. Women who walk for an hour each day reduce their chances of getting breast cancer by 15%.

16. Check your toothpaste for an ingredient called “Novamin” – it is the only substance that can repair teeth.

17. Natural pineapple juice is 5 times more effective than cough syrup. It can also prevent baldness, and even the flu.

18. Make an effort to eat a home-cooked meal at least 5 times a week. A recent study found that this may extend your life by a whole decade.

19. If you’re trying to quit smoking, try the following method: every time you feel the need to smoke a cigarette, lick a tiny bit of salt. The urge to smoke should pass within a month.

20. A cold shower can help relieve depression and also helps keep your skin and hair healthier.

21. If you’ve stayed up all night, take a 15-minute nap before sunrise. It will trick your body into thinking it slept enough. (Don’t do this too often.)

22. Having a pt reduces stress, improves mental functions and extends your life expectancy.

23. Make an effort to be organized. The more organized you are – the less likely you are to suffer from Alzheimer’s.

24. The first day of the week defines your thinking patterns for the week. It’s best to exercise during that day, to assure a healthy routine.

25. If you’ve worn shoes for a long period of time, rub alcohol on your feet. This will help disinfect the regions that are susceptible to fungus.

Frozen shoulder Syndrome

Some years back I suffered from severe pain in my left shoulder which resulted in Frozen shoulder syndrome. After a few months I recovered from it.

This year I was affected by the same syndrome in my right shoulder for the past few months and recovering now after taking medicines/physiotherapy and proper exercises as advised by the Doctor. 

On both the occasions initially I had severe pain in the shoulder which increased during nights while lying on the bed. I was unable to lift the hand above a certain level due to stiffness and pain in the shoulder.While typing in Laptop there was severe pain in the wrist and shoulder.This was the main cause of my keeping away from posting articles in my blog and restricting my activities in Laptop as per Doctor's advice.

I give below the details of Frozen shoulder, its symptoms and treatments available for the same compiled from various sites.

What is frozen shoulder?


Frozen shoulder  (adhesive capsulitis) is stiffness, pain, and limited range of movement in your shoulder . The term adhesive capsulitis implies that the shoulder joint capsule has adhesions and inflammation that limits the motion of the shoulder.

It may happen after an injury or overuse or from a disease such as diabetes or a stroke. The tissues around the joint stiffen, scar tissue forms, and shoulder movements become difficult and painful. The condition usually comes on slowly, then goes away slowly over the course of a year or more.

What Are the Symptoms of a Frozen Shoulder?

You become aware of a frozen shoulder when it begins to hurt. The pain then causes you to limit your movement. Moving the shoulder less and less increases its stiffness. Before long, you find that you can’t move your shoulder as you once did. Reaching for an item on a high shelf becomes difficult, if not impossible. When it’s severe, you might not be able to do everyday tasks that involve shoulder movement such as dressing.

What causes frozen shoulder?

Frozen shoulder can develop when you stop using the joint normally because of pain, injury, or a chronic health condition, such as diabetesor a stroke. Any shoulder problem can lead to frozen shoulder if you do not work to keep full range of motion.

Frozen shoulder occurs:

• After surgery or injury.
• Most often in people 40 to 70 years old.
• More often in women (especially in postmenopausal women) than in men.
• Most often in people with chronic diseases.

Women typically will present with a greater amount of mobility in their shoulders, Glenohumeral Joint (GH joints), than men. Now, with the increased use of cell phones, specifically texting, and computers in our daily lives combined with our sedentary life style has lead to decreased mobility in the thoracic spine (mid back).  This decreased mobility with an already hypermobile shoulder (GH Joint) can lead to instability of the shoulder (GH joint).

As people sit in front of the computer with poor posture for extended periods of time using their mouse in a repetitive fashion, this increased instability of the shoulder begins to cause friction and inflammation of the shoulder joint (GH Joint).  This increased inflammation combined with stress will cause increased pain and self limiting movement of the shoulder.  This limited movement of the shoulder leads to a diagnosis of a frozen shoulder.

Usually, the condition takes two to nine months to develop.

Frozen shoulders have three distinct stages of progression. Each stage typically takes months to progress. The normal progression of frozen shoulder through all three stages is between six months and two years. Without a purposeful effort to restore motion, the effects of a frozen shoulder may become permanent. 

• Painful stage - the shoulder becomes stiff and then very painful with movement. Movement becomes limited. Pain typically worsens at night.
• Frozen/adhesive stage - the shoulder becomes increasingly stiff, severely limiting range of motion. Pain may not diminish, but it does not usually worsen.
• Thawing stage - movement in the shoulder begins to improve. Pain may fade, but occasionally recur.

How is frozen shoulder diagnosed? 

Doctors will most likely diagnose frozen shoulder based on signs and symptoms and a physical exam; paying close attention to the arms and shoulders. The severity of frozen shoulder is determined by a basic test in which a doctor presses and moves certain parts of the arm and shoulder.

A few tests may also be necessary. Your doctor might do a magnetic resonance imaging scan (MRI) to rule out a tear in your rotator cuff or other pathology. X-rays may also be taken to check for arthritis or other abnormalities. You may need an arthrogram for the X-ray, which involves injecting dye into your shoulder joint so that the doctor can see its structure. 

How is it treated? 

You can leave a frozen shoulder untreated, but the pain and stiffness can remain for up to three years. A combination of the following can speed up your recovery:

• physical therapy
• medication
• surgery
• home care

Physical Therapy

Physical therapy is the most common treatment for a frozen shoulder. The goal is to stretch your shoulder joint and regain the lost motion. It can take anywhere from a few weeks to nine months to see progress. A home exercise program of gentle range of motion exercises is important. If you don't see progress after six months of intense, daily exercises, speak to your doctor about other options.

Medications

To treat the pain and reduce your joint inflammation, your doctor may recommend an anti- inflammatory medication like aspirin, ibuprofen, or naproxen sodium. A steroid injection you’re your shoulder joint may also help.

Home Care

Placing an ice pack on your shoulder for 15 minutes at a time several times per day can help to decrease pain. If you’re working with a physical therapist, the exercises can be done at home. Your physical therapist will provide instructions on the types of exercises you must do, how often to do them, and when to push yourself harder. Most people with a frozen shoulder can improve their condition without surgery.

Surgery

If physical therapy doesn’t improve your condition, surgery is an option. From a surgical standpoint, your options are to manipulate the shoulder and put it through a full range of motion under a general anesthetic to help break up any adhesions. Another option is arthroscopic surgery. This type of surgery involves making a small cut in your shoulder and using a camera called an “arthroscope” to remove scar tissue or release it. This allows the shoulder to recover its lost motion. If your frozen shoulder is the result of an injury, surgery is usually more successful if it’s performed within a few weeks of the injury.

Surgery is usually done on an outpatient basis. Your stitches will most likely be removed after 10 days. Postoperative physical therapy is usually required as well. Many patients have their full range of motion back within three months.

Surgery carries risks, so talk with your doctor before deciding on any procedure. Some people still have pain or stiffness afterward or can’t handle the pain of physical therapy.

Can frozen shoulder be prevented?

Gentle, progressive range-of-motion exercises, stretching, and using your shoulder more may help prevent frozen shoulder after surgery or an injury. Experts don't know what causes some cases of frozen shoulder, and it may not be possible to prevent these. But be patient and follow your doctor's advice. Frozen shoulder nearly always gets better over time.

Exercises for Frozen shoulder:

Shoulder motion is the primary treatment for frozen shoulder. It is important to continue to use the arm as much as can be tolerated while healing. If the shoulder is overly protected from motion the condition will worsen. The application of a hot pack or warm shower prior to performing these exercises, and the application of an ice pack to the shoulder afterward will make the exercises more tolerable. 

While keeping the shoulder active is good at preventing the progression of this malady, moving the shoulder through all of the planes of motion is required to fully recover. The exercise program that follows is intended to increase motion in all planes of shoulder motion. Remember that healing from a frozen shoulder will take time, in some cases a lot of time. These exercises need to be done every day, not just the days the gym or the physical therapist’s office is open. You will need to push yourself out of the comfort zone to obtain healing. 

Some of the daily exercises for Frozen shoulder are given below:

Pendulum Stretch

1. Begin using the weight of your arm without any added weights, gradually incorporating light dumbbells or kettlebells into the routine 
2. The frozen shoulder arm follows the body’s motion 
3. Keep back straight, core (trunk muscles) tight, feet shoulder width apart 
4. Support opposite arm to allow the affected arm to hang straight down with full relaxation of that shoulder’s muscles 
5. Using the motion of your body to create shoulder motion, sway your body 
6. Start with small circles, gradually increasing to larger circles 
7. Perform 20-25 circles in each direction 

Finger walk

Face a wall three-quarters of an arm's length away. Reach out and touch the wall at waist level with the fingertips of the affected arm. With your elbow slightly bent, slowly walk your fingers up the wall, spider-like, until you've raised your arm as far as you comfortably can. Your fingers should be doing the work, not your shoulder muscles. Slowly lower the arm (with the help of the good arm, if necessary) and repeat. Perform this exercise 10 to 20 times a day.

Cross-body reach

Sit or stand. Use your good arm to lift your affected arm at the elbow, and bring it up and across your body, exerting gentle pressure to stretch the shoulder. Hold the stretch for 15 to 20 seconds. Do this 10 to 20 times per day.

Armpit stretch

Using your good arm, lift the affected arm onto a shelf about breast-high. Gently bend your knees, opening up the armpit. Deepen your knee bend slightly, gently stretching the armpit, and then straighten. With each knee bend, stretch a little further, but don't force it. Do this 10 to 20 times each day.

Pulley Exercises 

Over-the-door pulley systems are a practical way to mobilize the shoulder in multiple planes of motion. The well arm pulls the frozen shoulder into various stretches. Pulley exercises can be used to perform many of the same range of motion exercises 
                                                        

                  

Other treatments available for Frozen Shoulder syndrome:

Homeopathy treatment:
https://www.drhomeo.com/joint/homeopathic-remedies-for-frozen-shoulder-treatment/

Ayurvedic treatment:
https://www.epainassist.com/alternative-therapy/ayurvedic-treatment-for-frozen-shoulder


Acupressure /acupuncture treatment, and Ozone Injection treatments  are also given for Frozen shoulder.

References:

http://www.healthline.com/health/frozen-shoulder#Diagnosis5

http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/tc/frozen-shoulder-topic-overview 

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/166186.php

http://www.health.harvard.edu/shoulders/stretching-exercises-frozen-shoulder

http://www.strokewise.info/2009/11/2-exercises-for-shoulders-subluxion.html
http://www.pivotphysicaltherapy.com/blog/can-a-mouse-be-the-culprit-of-the-evil-frozen-shoulder/

 E book : Managing the Frozen Shoulder A self-care guide for those suffering from frozen shoulder: By William E. Morgan, DC Sarah Potthoff, DC