After installing WiFi throughout the London underground and allowing free access during the 2012 Olympics and well beyond, Virgin Media eventually began charging for the service to recoup some of the investment. EE and Vodafone struck a deal to keep…
There are more vending machines per capita in Japan than in any other country in the world. And as of 2013, there are over 5 million of them. Soft drinks might make up half of those, but you can also pick up beer, sake, dried octopus, toys, pet food,…
Google’s only really dipping its toe in the fiber infrastucture racket at the moment, but plans are afoot to slowly expand the gigabit internet service elsewhere. According to a report from The Telegraph, the search giant is even looking as far…
Philips’ hue tap wireless, battery-free light switch for the company’s color-changing bulbs has finally arrived in the US, allowing the smartphone-phobic still still get in on the home automation action. The ZigBee switch uses kinetic power to switch between up to four preset hue scenes, meaning it can be stuck to a wall without cabling being required, or moved around … Continue reading
As far as wearables go, the ability to tell barometric pressure hasn’t exactly been high up on the priority list for many companies as of yet. StormTag is aiming to change that with an extremely simple setup and connection to your phone, all with a smart device that can hang from your key ring. There are two kinds of StormTag … Continue reading
Moviegoers on tenterhooks until Marvel’s “Guardians of the Galaxy” arrives in theaters will find no release in this new clip from the film, which HuffPost Entertainment is happy to debut below. The video highlights a sequence teased in the “Guardians of the Galaxy” trailer where Rocket (a space raccoon voiced by Bradley Cooper) fake laughs at Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) for coming up with a terrible, half-baked plan. Or maybe not: “That is the most real, authentic, hysterical laugh of my entire life, because that is not a plan,” Rocket says to the Guardians’ de facto leader. Either way, our laughs are as real as Vin Diesel’s Groot — an alien tree who only says “I am Groot” — eating part of his shoulder because a leaf is on there. “Guardians of the Galaxy” is out on Aug. 1. Get here, Aug. 1!
By: Carolyn Phillips
It was the morning of the Central Park Challenge, YAI’s annual 3K walk, 5K run, and family fun event. I was up extremely early because I had to be at the park by 6:30 a.m. This was a far cry from spring semester’s 10:35 a.m. classes. Thus, when I arrived at Central Park, I was not at all awake and very grumpy. All I wanted was sleep.
As the day progressed, runners, walkers, and volunteers flocked to the registration area where I was working. It became organized chaos. Before long, the entire park was filled with bright yellow and orange shirts emblazoned with the YAI logo. Amid the registration frenzy, I paused for a brief moment to appreciate what was taking place around me. My heart swelled with the realization that for just one day, everyone had united in support of YAI. The feeling of perfect unity was unbelievably and unexpectedly empowering. I felt like I was part of a whole and I was actually making a difference.
This feeling completely changed my whole experience as an intern at YAI from that point forward. I began my internship in the Development Department after completing my freshman year at Pace University. I was extremely interested in getting involved with YAI because my professional goal is to one day work for the Olympics and Special Olympics. Interning with YAI would give me an inside look at the nonprofit world.
Being an intern can be intimidating and rather scary at first. When I began my work at YAI three weeks before the CPC, it was a bit of a rocky start. Going into YAI’s main office in Manhattan that first day, I was scared because I had no idea what to expect. There were a lot of firsts, beginning with the 9-5 schedule. It was also my first time interning in an office, having a cubicle, and interacting with people older than me who were not teachers or family members.
After the Central Park Challenge, it became clear how much YAI actually does for the people it supports. I also realized why I was there, and I felt reassured and proud to be working alongside people who are extremely thoughtful and conscientious. They accept people’s differences and work with them to help them achieve their goals.
Early on I had the opportunity to join a group of volunteers from AOL on a tour of YAI programs and got to meet some of the individuals who receive services.
On the tour, I learned that the YAI Network provides specialized medical services for individuals with disabilities through Premier HealthCare (PHC). PHC has a unique desensitization program that helps patients overcome their fears associated with doctors’ visits by giving them opportunities to become familiar with and feel more comfortable in the environment. A visit might include time where the patient simply sits in an unused exam room until they feel more comfortable. It seems like a small step, but it can make a huge difference in enabling someone to feel comfortable enough to receive the medical care that he or she needs.
My favorite part of the tour was seeing one of the YAI Network’s preschools, which is offered through the New York League for Early Learning. It is an integrated program where children with and without developmental delays and disabilities learn, and some classes are bilingual. The children sang “Old MacDonald Had a Farm;” it was adorable.
Some of my co-workers in the main office are also supported by YAI. One man who has worked at YAI for several years made a particular impression on me because he always remembered my name. As an intern, this does not happen a lot. Whenever I said hi to him, he always said hi back. He always managed to make me feel welcome and to bring a smile to my face.
One of the best things about working at YAI is the constant reminders of why it exists. Reminders like my co-worker, who not only does his job with proficiency and pride, but who always remembered my name and took the time to say hello.
I can honestly say that I have enjoyed my experience at YAI, and that I have learned more than I ever expected. I’ve come to understand that all of us have support to offer and gifts to share, and that recognizing this is the first step toward creating a world where everyone can both contribute and benefit.
President Barack Obama spoke about Thursday’s Malaysia Airlines crash, calling the deaths of the 298 passengers “an outrage of unspeakable proportions” and saying “we know at least one American citizen” was killed.
Obama named Quinn Lucas Schansman as the victim from the U.S.
Obama also called for an immediate ceasefire in Ukraine.
“This was a global tragedy. An Asian airliner was destroyed in European skies, filled with citizens from many countries, so there has to be a credible international investigation into what happened,” Obama said in a statement delivered from the White House Friday.
“Russia, pro-Russian separatists and Ukraine must adhere to an immediate cease-fire. Evidence must not be tampered with,” Obama continued.
“It’s time for peace and security to be restored in Ukraine,” Obama said.
Obama repeated sentiments shared by U.S. officials, saying it’s believed a surface-to-air missile from an area controlled by pro-Russian separatists took down the jet.
Obama had briefly addressed the plane crash during an appearance in Delaware on Thursday, saying the United States “will offer any assistance we can to determine what happened and why.”
Vice President Joe Biden also addressed the plane crash during a Thursday appearance at the 2014 Netroots Nation conference, saying the incident was “not an accident.”
Below, more from the AP:
U.S. officials have said the plane was shot down Thursday by a missile. But the Obama administration has not said who it believes is responsible for firing the missile.
So far there has been no confirmation of any Americans on board the Malaysia Airlines plane that was carrying 298 people.
The plane was shot down near the border between Ukraine and Russia. The incident occurred one day after Obama announced broader economic sanctions against Russia for its threatening moves in Ukraine.
See below for more updates on the situation:
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A western Wisconsin police chief was charged Thursday with a misdemeanor for allegedly registering a tea party leader for solicitations from gay dating, pornography and federal health care websites.
Town of Campbell Police Chief Tim Kelemen was charged with one count of unlawful use of a computerized communication system, which carries a maximum penalty of $1,000 in fines and 90 days in jail. Kelemen would still be able to stay on as police chief if convicted, since only those with felonies or misdemeanor convictions related to domestic violence are barred from being police officers, according to the state Department of Justice.
Kelemen’s attorney, Jim Birnbaum, said the charge isn’t fair. Kelemen did sign up La Crosse Tea Party leader Greg Luce for the sites, Birnbaum said, but he did it to get back at Luce for allegedly telling tea party supporters to harass and threaten his officers.
“I think it isn’t fair when the behavior of the tea party has been unchallenged and unabated,” Birnbaum said. “Then to have a charge filed against the chief because of, really, an act of frustration is unfortunate.”
Birnbaum said he and Monroe County District Attorney Kevin Croninger have worked out a deal that calls for the chief to plead no contest but avoid a conviction if he completes counseling and performs 40 hours of community service.
The two sides had planned to ask La Crosse County Circuit Judge Dale Pasell to approve the deal during Kelemen’s initial appearance Thursday but Pasell recused himself from the case because he has worked with Kelemen, Birnbaum said. They’ll try to find an out-of-county judge to sign off, Birnbaum said.
Croninger didn’t return an after-hours message left at his office Thursday.
Kelemen leads a five-officer department in the Town of Campbell, a town of about 4,000 just outside La Crosse. He’s been at odds with the La Crosse Tea Party since last fall, when the conservative group began staging protests on a town overpass that stretches across Interstate 90.
Kelemen cited concerns that the protests were distracting drivers and convinced the town board to pass an ordinance in October banning signs, banners and flags on the bridge. That angered tea party supporters. Kelemen and Birnbaum say Luce retaliated by urging supporters across the country to bombard the police department with harassing phone calls and threats.
Luce started receiving calls and emails from gay dating, porn and health care websites in January, according to police reports. La Crosse investigators tracked some of the activity to a computer at Kelemen’s home and the Campbell town hall, according to a criminal complaint.
La Crosse police handed the case to the neighboring Monroe County Sheriff’s Department due to La Crosse officers’ close relationship with Kelemen.
The chief initially told a sheriff’s investigator in May that he knew nothing about the websites. Later, though, he acknowledged he signed Luce up for them to get back at him.
The chief remains free on a signature bond. The town board placed him on paid leave in June as word spread that he was under investigation. Town Chairman Scott Johnson didn’t immediately return a message left at his home Thursday evening.
Croninger spoke with The Associated Press by phone Thursday morning before he filed the charge. He said he chose the illegal use of a computer system count rather than identity theft or misconduct in office because he didn’t feel comfortable he could prove those charges beyond a reasonable doubt. He felt Kelemen wasn’t acting in his official capacity when he signed Luce up for the sites.
“There’s not really any factual dispute about what took place. It’s just how those facts fit the statutes,” Croninger said. “This is more of a harassing situation than to harm someone’s reputation. That is the distinction I see.”
Luce has filed a federal civil lawsuit alleging Kelemen stole his identity and that the overpass ordinance violates his free-speech rights. Luce’s attorney, Erin Mersino, issued a statement Thursday saying Kelemen has made poor decisions and Luce is pursuing justice.
How many times have you heard someone say, “I don’t have to worry about crime; I live in a gated community”? Yeah, the electronically-locked gate may stop criminals from driving in, but not from walking in!
That stylish gate is more of an ornament than a crime deterrent. It may very well be a lure to thieves, since it suggests that there’s a lot of valuables in those houses. The gate may even suggest complacence with tougher security measures among the homeowners.
The big iron gate may even encourage residents to leave entries to their houses unlocked or windows to their child’s first floor bedroom open overnight. Any reason a pedophile can’t slip through the gate while it opens for a resident? And that assumes the perp isn’t bright enough to just walk into the premises.
The giant gate may as well have a neon sign overhead that says, “Welcome! We Have Lots of Valuables in Our Homes!”
Might a burglar assume that every home has an alarm system? No. He’ll avoid those that have signs of an alarm system, but he’ll continue poking around till he finds evidence of an unlocked house. An alarm system is worthless if it’s turned off and a door is unlocked. This risk-reward calculation is too juicy for a thief to pass up.
And here’s another formula to consider:
Gated community = more money = more empty homes while residents are on yet another vacation.
Still think that gate protects your community? How often have you forgotten your code or the keypad malfunctioned, and you waited for the next resident to open the gates, and you slipped in right after them? How easy was that?
How often has the gate mechanically been broken and you zipped right on through? Even a gateman who buzzes people in may not be on the ball. And even if he is, you should assume that many service technicians are given entry codes. It’s not an issue of how or if a thief can get in, but who.
Robert Siciliano personal and home security specialist to BestHomeSecurityCompanys.com discussing burglar proofing your home on Fox Boston. Disclosures.
This is site is run by Sascha Endlicher, M.A., during ungodly late night hours. Wanna know more about him? Connect via Social Media by jumping to about.me/sascha.endlicher.
