May 29
Apple’s connected home ambitions are rounding into shape, and a new report details just how it all may come to pass. Via a series of software customizations (likely via APIs), … Continue reading
May 29
NASA’s perpetual funding problems have been summed up satirically by The Onion, with the tongue-in-cheek article coming as the space agency renews its push to get more young people involved … Continue reading
May 29
They say that we really shouldn’t have an expectation of privacy online, and following last year’s leaks, that seems true more than ever. A Bolingbrook woman might have learned that lesson when she received a $50 citation for no apparent reason. What she didn’t know at first was that a Will County Forest Preserve protection officer interpreted a comment she left on Facebook to mean that she used a dog park without a permit. Without being given a chance to tell her side of the story the woman was simply issued a citation.
She posted a comment in response to concerns other dog owners had about kennel cough affecting dogs at the Whalon Lake Dog Park in Bolingbrook. “I was feeling bad that I haven’t bought a pass and been bringing Ginger there but I’m pretty glad I haven’t. So not going to worry about it until later. I hope all the doggies get better soon,” she wrote.
This was forwarded to the forest preserve protection officer by a district employee who believed it meant she used the park without a permit. Once a citation was issued the woman posted it along with the letter it came with to the page, refuting the claim that she had “knowingly entered a dog park without a valid 2014 permit.”
Marcy DeMauro, executive director of the Forest Preserve District said that the woman had contacted the district’s police chief and the matter was under review. DeMauro clarified that the district doesn’t monitor social media to find potential law breakers and any such information has to be treated like a tip and verified before any action is taken.
There’s good news for the woman, the citation issued to her will be recinded.
Woman Gets $50 Citation Because Of A Facebook Comment
, original content from Ubergizmo, Filed in Web, Facebook,
May 29
There’s a bit of bad news for people who absolutely loathe bloatware, you know, the apps that come pre-installed on a device even though you have no use whatsoever for them. It has been announced today that starting this summer all new AT&T Android phones will come with the Uber app pre-installed. What’s AT&T getting out of it? The carrier will be one of Uber’s “key providers of new wireless service” in the U.S.
For those who don’t know what Uber is, its a company that allows people to call a private car on-demand using the app. Operating in over 100 cities and 30 countries it offers users with a range of vehicle options that suit their budget. Payment can be made credit card, Google Wallet or PayPal. The U.S. is undoubtedly one of its biggest markets as it operates in more than 60 cities.
Its a major win for Uber. The app will get in front of countless people who may not even know that the service exists. This isn’t the only deal that the company has inked to drive growth. A recent Google Maps update allows users to see how long it will take to reach their destination in an Uber car, and even launch the app from within to call a driver.
Will it make a similar deal with other carriers? That can’t be said for sure. Would AT&T make a similar deal with Uber’s rivals? It may not in the near future. The only thing that’s known for sure is that new Android phone owners on AT&T would have yet another app pre-installed on the device.
All AT&T Android Phones Will Come With Uber App Pre-Loaded
, original content from Ubergizmo, Filed in Transportation, AT&T, Uber,
May 29
Given the success of the Lenovo Yoga, I was wondering why no-one else had explored the concept, but here’s the Toshiba answer to Lenovo’s monopoly on the multimode laptop”. The Satellite Radius which was announced this week offers the same kind of multimode positions (laptop, tablet, presentation, audience, tablet top) as the Yoga, but in a 15.6-inch form factor that Lenovo has left wide open for the competition to get in (for how long remains to be seen).
Toshiba Radius Hands-On Gallery
Same concept, same advantages
Toshiba Radius Official Photos
Screen size aside, the concept works just the same and while I don’t have hands-on experience with group activity in presentation mode, I think that the folding capability is worth it as soon as you get into a coach seat for a long flight. A regular 13.3” laptop may already be uncomfortable in such conditions, but a 15.6” display is pretty much guaranteed to bang on the seat in front of you. By going to tablet or presentation mode, you can read or watch movies more comfortably than you would with a classic clamshell design. Lenovo invented it, and now Toshiba takes the concept to a new size.
Good build quality
When I looked at a real unit of the Toshiba Radius, I found the build quality to be quite high, with a clean backlit Chiclet keyboard (with curved keys), a minimalistic keyboard area and screen and a large, comfortable trackpad. The metallic body/skin feels premium, and the laptop wasn’t slippery when I handled it. The 1080p IPS display is pretty decent, but it wasn’t more impressive than that since a high DPI isn’t an option here.
Decent specifications, but no SSD
You can choose an Intel Core i5 or Core i7 with 8GB of RAM and up to 1TB of HDD storage. Unfortunately, there no SSD version of this, which is a pity because some customers may want faster disk access instead of raw storage capacity. Toshiba has integrated DTS Sound, which is always nice for watching movies with a good pair of headphones. As for connectivity, WiFi AC is the de-facto standard, along with the integration of WiDi, a wireless technology from Intel. If you want to connect with a regular HDMI cable, Toshiba points out that 4K video output is supported.
There are Three USB 3.0 ports and one of them has the Sleep & Charge feature, so you can charge your phone, camera or anything else even when your laptop is OFF.
The 15.6” screen is the main differentiation
Overall, the Toshiba Radius’ main advantage over the Lenovo Yoga Series is the screen size, which is unique in that form-factor, and the starting price of $925.99 is competitive. If size is not a critical feature for you then Lenovo remains extremely competitive and I would recommend that you compare the configuration and prices carefully before making a decision. In any case, it’s nice to see that the multimode PC is taking off. I really like the concept and thus far, there is no downside if the PC manufacturer manages to keep the laptop as slim as other Ultrabook.
Toshiba Radius 15.6” Laptop Goes Against Lenovo’s Yoga
, original content from Ubergizmo, Filed in Computers,
May 29
'Radical Animal Rights Movement' Gets New Foe
Posted in: UncategorizedAn Iowa-based organization dedicated to combating “the radical animal rights movement” and led by a former Missouri Republican senator’s chief of staff has launched a new super PAC, according to paperwork filed with the Federal Election Commission.
The Protect the Harvest Political Action Committee told the elections regulator that it “intends to raise funds in unlimited amounts” to call for the election or defeat of federal candidates.
Which politicos will be targeted, however, is still unclear.
Neither the super PAC’s treasurer, Brian Klippenstein, nor its attorney, Mark Roth, responded to requests for comment from the Center for Public Integrity.
Super PACs are legally allowed to solicit unlimited contributions to produce political advertisements — so long as their spending is not coordinated with any candidates’ campaigns.
Klippenstein currently serves as the executive director of Protect the Harvest, a 501(c)(4) “social welfare” nonprofit established in 2011 to educate the public about “the benefits of farming, ranching and hunting” and to advocate “for the right to conduct such activities.” he nonprofit may engage in politics, although federal law mandates that influencing elections may not be its primary purpose.
On its website, Protect the Harvest warns that “the animal rights movement in America, led by the Humane Society of the United States, has evolved into a wealthy and successful attack group determined to end the consumption of meat, threaten consumer access to affordable food, eliminate hunting, outlaw rodeos and circuses and even ban animal ownership (including pets) altogether.”
“That’s “baloney,” said Joe Maxwell, the Humane Society of the United States’ vice president of outreach and engagement. He said his organization is “leading efforts to ensure that we have good stewards of the land and the animals on our farms.”
Protect the Harvest, Maxwell asserted, is “nothing but a front group” that is “in bed with industrialized agriculture.”
Previously, Klippenstein spent 26 years on Capitol Hill working for Missouri Republicans, including Sens. Roy Blunt and Kit Bond — the latter for whom he served as chief of staff for five years, according to Klippenstein’s online biography.
For his part, Roth is also listed as the registered agent and incorporator of Protect the Harvest, according to Iowa business records. Millionaire businessman Forrest Lucas, founder of Lucas Oil Products, serves as Protect the Harvest’s president.
Tax records show Protect the Harvest raised about $927,000 between October 2011 and December 2012. A report detailing its 2013 finances is not expected to be filed with the Internal Revenue Service until later this year.
As a social welfare nonprofit, Protect the Harvest is not required to publicly disclose its donors.
FEC records indicate, however, that Lucas Oil Products contributed $200,000 to Protect the Harvest in 2012 to fund advertisements critical of Iowa Democrat Christie Vilsack, who unsuccessfully challenged incumbent Republican Rep. Steve King.
American Action Network, the social welfare nonprofit led by former GOP Sen. Norm Coleman of Minnesota, also contributed $100,000 to the group sometime between July 2012 and June 2013, according to its annual tax return.
And a group called Missouri Farmers Care — which says its mission is to “solicit contributions to support education and advocacy for Missouri agriculture” — also donated $35,000 Protect the Harvest in 2012.
Documents list Dale Ludwig, the longtime executive director of the Missouri Soybean Association, as the treasurer of Missouri Farmers Care and as a director of Protect the Harvest. Jackie Klippenstein, Brian’s wife and a lobbyist for the Dairy Farmers of America, is also listed as one of the 30 members of Missouri Farmers Care.
Protect the Harvest’s super PAC arm will be required to disclose its funders to the FEC.
While Brian Klippenstein has financially supported Republicans such as 2012 presidential nominee Mitt Romney and House Speaker John Boehner in the past, he has not made any contributions to Iowa politicians this election cycle, according to a Center for Public Integrity review of FEC records. Nor has Lucas.
Last year, Roth, the attorney, contributed $1,000 to businessman Mark Jacobs, who is seeking to become the Republican Party’s nominee for U.S. Senate this year.
Polls show Jacobs trailing state Sen. Joni Ernst ahead of the GOP’s June 3 primary.
Additionally, Protect the Harvest itself has endorsed a Missouri ballot measure, backed by the Missouri Farm Bureau, which would amend the state’s constitution to guarantee that “the right of Missouri citizens to engage in agricultural production and ranching practices shall not be infringed.”
Protect the Harvest backed a similar — and successful — ballot measure in North Dakota in 2012.
Critics argue “right to farm” laws, which have been supported by the board of the conservative-leaning American Legislative Exchange Council, could impede attempts to regulate genetically modified crops and may benefit large, agricultural corporations, not family farmers.
“If right to farm would pass,” said Maxwell, of the Humane Society, “it will allow foreign corporations and big agriculture corporations to do whatever they want in Missouri’s countryside.”
May 29
When does reaching summit become more important than your life? For many hikers, the higher the risk, the higher the reward and defying death becomes a highlight of life. The accomplishment of achieving this goal can be an incredible high, but to survive your trek, the best thing to remember, is that there is no rush.
Click here to see the more of the Dangerous Hikes the U.S has to offer.
Many of these dangerous hikes are frequently completed successfully, and if you are a seasoned and fit hiker, there is no reason that you can’t finish the higher difficulty trail. The majority of accidents and fatalities occur when people make poor decisions and ignore their prior hiking knowledge as a result of summit fever.
Summit fever occurs when a climber or hiker is so desperate to reach the top that they ignore their physical state or surroundings. Many deaths on these intimidating trails occur from dehydration or fatigue. Hiking trails range in difficulty, lengths and elevations, but weather and climate conditions can make a seemingly easy hike life-threatening, too. Ignoring these weather conditions or your physical state leads to seriously harmful outcomes.
The National Park Service insists you pack your backpacks accordingly depending on the nature of your hike. They provide detailed lists and maps for each trail to better prepare you for your hike. And always check trail conditions and weather forecasts in preparation. Flash floods and slippery conditions are a common factor in the fatalities of hikers at many of these trails.
Not only is weather a threatening factor, but also wildlife. If you plan on going on one of these 14 dangerous hikes, research, research, research. There is no such thing as being over prepared when you could potentially be put in a life or death situation.
Click here to see the ALL of the Dangerous Hikes the U.S has to offer.
Don’t let the accidents scare you away. From Yosemite to the Catskills, there are numerous hikes in the U.S. that you won’t want to miss. While definitely dangerous, these 14 hikes produce some of the most amazing and rewarding views in the world that you will never forget.
-Catarina Cowden, The Active Times
More Content from The Active Times:
40 Great American Day Hikes to Do This Summer
Best Easy American Day Hikes
The World’s Ten Best Hikes
The Best Hiking Boots of 2014
Hiking With Kids: Teach Them to Love it
Want to see more from The Active Times? LIKE us on Facebook!
May 29
What do you do when you have spent nearly the last half century touring the world as one of the greatest bands ever assembled and you want to put out a new album? If you are the seminal band Chicago, you develop possibly the most advanced mobile recording studio ever created.
Nicknamed “The Rig,” Chicago’s high tech mobile studio is a high-end combination of Magma ExpressBox and Avid Pro Tools that is as sophisticated as any popular in house studio setup. As Robert Lamm, the group’s keyboardist, singer and songwriter tells it:
Each member can create basic tracks for the songs that they write, even before the full rhythm section gets involved. The days of doing a ‘lockout’ at the Record Plant, or any other famed studio, are long over. Who wants to spend that kind of money anyway? Synchronization from the different contributors and producers is now a snap. We can go from idea to finished production at an amazing speed.
Chicago is set to put the audio proof in the pudding with their latest album, NOW Chicago XXXVI, which was recorded exclusively on The Rig. The Rig is one half of a dual system; one travels with the band on the road, the other lives in our production studio. The system has a variety of applications for Chicago, from recording new material on the tour bus to mixing in 5.1 for film, television, and Internet productions. Chicago’s home base is a replica of Tom Hidley’s famed “Westlake” studios. The band has been connected to Hidley since their original Caribou Ranch Colorado studio, another Hidley design.
Lee Loughnane, Chicago singer, trumpeter, and songwriter weighed in:
We still love playing music. Every time we perform, we enjoy what it sounds like. We are fanatical about the audio being as good as possible, which is why “The Rig” must be flexible, powerful, portable, and always travel with the band. It is quite literally part of Chicago.
Though “Now” Chicago XXXVI has been a year in the making (it is set for release this July 4), snippets of each track had been made available by the band online. The first preview, “Naked in the Garden of Allah,” was released in April 2013, and the album was finally made available for preorder in April 2014.
James Pankow, co-founder and trombonist, explained:
The Rig is the culmination of the band embracing tech. Unlike other bands of their era, Chicago has enjoyed the benefits of tech in terms of not only The Rig but social media and ecommerce as well, evidenced by over 400k Facebook likes and their entire catalogue being for sale on their website. For the first time since the beginning of the band, we are looking at not only a new way of making records, but a new way of manifesting those records. We do business now essentially directly to fans through the Internet.
Thanks to The Rig, it is a safe bet that Chicago’s fans can look forward to a steady stream of new work to add to one of the larger catalogues in the music industry.
May 29
This post was written by Nourish International student interns from the University of Pittsburgh, currently working with Maya Traditions, a non-profit organization in Guatemala.
The past week, we have been busy traveling and experiencing more of the culture here in Pana and in the towns around the lake.
Last Tuesday, we spent the morning in San Juan, where we met Joel who is a part of a clinic called ODIM (Organization for the Development of the Indigenous Maya). Joel gave us a tour of ODIM’s building, including the pharmacy, the dentist office, and the doctor’s check-up area. This organization works with the indigenous Mayan and helps provide free health care and western medicine to those who need it. The western medicine is funded by many methodist church groups back in the states, and US doctors and nurses travel to Odim to work for a year and provide care to the indigenous people of San Juan. Joel expressed how many of the Mayan people who come to their clinic trust western medicine more because western medicine is made with better technology and stricter regulations and therefore the medicine is more trustworthy and reliable. Within the community, ODIM also sponsors the creation of homes for families who are unable to afford a sustainable shelter as well as educational scholorships to students. To learn more about ODIM, check out their website here: http://www.odimguatemala.org/
Last Wednesday, we traveled back to San Juan for a cooking lesson with one of the weaving cooperatives. We learned how to make tamilitos-small corn pancakes steamed in banana leaves, a traditional chicken soup–using all the parts of the chicken for the broth with mixed vegetables including potatoes, uisque (a native-Guatemalan squash) and carrots, and rice steamed with cilantro and carrots. To complement our meal, we drank a refreshing hibiscus iced tea sweetened with sugar. We all enjoyed the fresh, simple, and very tasty home-cooked lunch, using a wood and fire stove!
On Thursday, Linda, Anisah, and Kira spent the day in the garden, where they helped pave the way for the new stone staircases that will be built, and in the afternoon, they organized and sorted the scraps of fabrics for the headband product that will be sold back at Pitt. Over the past week, we have finalized the design for our bags; our designed bags will have a zipper on the top and a zipper in front for a small pocket and will be made out of the Maya Tradition’s handwoven fabric. Yesterday, we placed the order with the local tailor for the bags and also for the scraps of fabrics to be hemmed, which we will then braid into headbands!
While Linda, Anisah, and Kira were busy in the garden and office on Thursday, Jenny, Aarti, and Gianna traveled to San Lucas, a small community about an hour’s drive from Pana. After unloading and organizing boxes of medicinal herbs, they spent the day housing a low-income medical clinic with other Mayan healers from around the Lake. Men, women, and children of all ages came to visit these volunteers, paying what they could to receive consultations and herbal remedies for ailments such as stomach parasites, sore knees, and “the evil eye,” a spirit that takes control of infants and causes long-lasting tantrums and crying. The long day ended with an eventful pick-up truck ride in a storm, but Aarti, Gianna, and Jenny arrived home just as satisfied as they were wet.
In addition, we have decided on two new tea creations; one of which will be a stomach strengthener made out of menta pipierta, apazote, and ajenjo, and the other is a remedy for colds and is a concoction of orozuz, ginger, and lemongrass. This morning, we began the chopping and cutting of herbs from the garden to be dried for our teas, which will begin hopefully bagging on Friday.
Over the weekend, we spent Friday morning on a hike to the Indian’s nose in San Juan and spent Friday night in San Pedro, the neighboring town near San Juan. We met up with Indiana University’s Nourish group for the hike and had a great time climbing 3km up to the Indian’s nose. On Saturday, we had a farewell barbecue with Anisah, Kira, and Jenny’s host family to send off Jenny as she left this past Sunday for another internship back in the states.
For the rest of the week, we plan on working on the compost project, which will help promote increased compost material for the garden and also help the environment, starting to braid the headbands when we get the hemmed scraps back, and also to continue to visit the community clinics with Maya traditions.
May 29
Unzip Your Success! 5 Types of Planning Every Small Business Needs to Succeed
Posted in: Today's ChiliSmall business entrepreneurs are familiar with start-up planning, exit strategy planning, and strategic planning. Of course, being familiar with and actually performing key business development planning are quite different. Entrepreneurs who excel at planning can quickly find themselves victims of their own planning process. As planning pays off, and business grows, many entrepreneurs become victims of their growth causing them to ditch the business planning process that set off their business growth.
The Business Planning Process Dilemma
Absent an ongoing, active planning process, it’s easy to become disorganized and unfocused. Distractions, interruptions, and unplanned requests of others create competing priorities for your time. Sadly, this misaligned approach leaves the most critical business growth activities unfinished.
Your business gets stuck in neutral while precious time is spent on lesser-valued activities. Even though you’re getting things done, you want to make sure you’re doing the right things to ensure your small business growth. Are you ready to shift gears?
The Importance of Planning
To succeed in an “interruption economy”, an active, ongoing planning process is essential for small businesses. Active ongoing planning is the kind of planning that allows you to focus on the critical activities that move your business forward.
An ongoing planning process is known to save time, reduce stress, incite happiness, and spark greater satisfaction. Plus, you’ll worry less about having time to address the important business growth initiatives.
Spoiler alert! Discipline and leadership required to implement!
Types of Small Business Planning
Planning for business growth requires intentionality. Skills required for planning on purpose – keeping on top of things – not letting things fall through the cracks – moving your business forward strategically and intelligently – have changed over the years. Just as we upgrade our operating systems to keep our computers performing well, we also need to upgrade our planning skills.
An active, ongoing planning process consists of 5 phases of planning:
1. Annual Strategic Planning. Your annual strategic planning process provides the framework for decision-making that translates into daily action that keeps you focused and on fire.
2. Quarterly Planning. Small business planning conducted quarterly accomplishes two critical objectives:
- It establishes focus for the upcoming three months
- Gives you the opportunity to realign or readjust your planning practice.
3. Monthly Planning. Staying on top of what’s working – and what’s not – in your small business is a vital part of your business growth process. Like a plane on autopilot, planning monthly allows you to make the necessary adjustments to keep you on the right track.
4. Weekly Planning. Small business entrepreneurs have one thing in common – the desire for more clients. Obtaining more clients requires careful planning. Strategic thinking and planning conducted weekly make sure client acquisition remains a top priority.
5. Daily Planning. No matter how much business planning makes your stomach turn, the success you’ll enjoy in your business is worth every queasy moment. Set the tone and direction of every day with a well-thought out plan for how you’re use your resources.
Planning is the most important activity for your business. It keeps your focus razor sharp and helps use your time wisely to complete the projects and initiatives that move your business forward.
Are you ready to unzip your success and grow your business?
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