This groovy teacher’s giving us a lesson in funk.
Scott Pankey led his students at A. Maceo Smith New Tech High School in Dallas, Texas, in an epic dance to Mark Ronson’s “Uptown Funk,” proving that educators got style, too.
His moves are so fresh, he’ll have you dancing to the groove in no time. And if you don’t believe us, just watch!
Apple got millions of you to buy a more expensive iPhone.
The average price of an iPhone during the three months that ended in December was $687.30, up from $602.92 last quarter, and $636.90 over the same period last year. But that didn’t stop people from rushing to get one: Apple sold a record 74.5 million iPhones during the last three months of 2014, a 46 percent increase over the same period last year.
There are a couple of reasons why we’re paying more for iPhones now. One is that the iPhone 6 Plus, the 5.5-inch “phablet,” really is a more expensive phone — it starts at $299 on-contract and $749 off-contract. That’s a full $100 more than Apple’s base flagship model usually sells for.
The average price includes all available models of iPhones sold, so it makes sense that as more expensive iPhone 6 Pluses, which came out in September, fill the shelves, the average price skews upward.
But there’s another reason iPhones have gotten more expensive: storage. The storage configuration in Apple’s latest models has been called “the single-most disappointing aspect of the new phones.”
Apple traditionally releases three versions of iPhones with varying storage capabilities. The phones start at $199 on contract, and each incremental increase in storage is $100 more. For example, the configurations for the iPhone 5 and 5S, released in 2012 and 2013, respectively, were 16 gigabyte, 32 GB and 64 GB.
But for the iPhone 6, Apple changed it up. The company kept three storage levels, but eliminated the 32-GB option, replacing it with a 64-GB version. So you can get both the iPhone 6 and 6 plus in 16 GB, 64 GB or 128 GB.
But the problem is that 16 GB is way too small for many people. Prominent Apple observer John Gruber wrote that it “seems downright punitive given how big panoramic photos and slo-mo HD videos are.” Thus, many end up paying $100 more for the 64-GB mid-level version.
And that not only brings Apple more revenue, but more profit, too.
As my colleague Damon Beres reported in December, the 64 GB iPhone 6 costs Apple about $15 more to produce than the 16 GB version. So that extra $85 goes right from your pocket to Apple’s bottom line.
Neil Cybert, an Apple analyst who blogs at Above Avalon, recently wrote that Apple will save save $3 billion this year by keeping the base iPhone model at 16 GB, rather than increasing it to 32 GB.
That decision wasn’t the best for consumers, but it sure is good for Apple and investors.
My biggest fear before starting my first blog project was that after just a few short weeks, I would have nothing left to say. I spent a significant amount of time researching what it takes to create a successful blog, and I consistently came across the headline, “Post Regularly!” The term regularly is of course relative, but the idea is clear: in order to build an engaged blog audience, a certain level of consistency is required.
The pressure to deliver unique, insightful and creative content on a regular basis can become so burdensome that the infamous “writer’s block” begins to take hold of your thoughts. I am going to go out on a limb and say that the majority of bloggers out there know exactly what I mean.
Here are some simple actions to take if you find yourself struggling to come up with new content ideas for your blog:
Skip a turn
Whatever your posting rhythm may be, if you are struggling to find something to write about, I encourage you to simply skip a turn. While publishing regularly is important, quality typically trumps quantity, so it is not a good idea to post something for the sake of consistency. Instead of forcing it, try reading the “about” page or the mission statement of your blog. If you don’t have one, I recommend using the time gained by ‘skipping a turn‘ to write one. This will allow you to refocus and could potentially lead to new ideas.
Take a field trip
Aside from recess, field trips were my favorite part of elementary school. Field trips allow us to experience a new and exciting setting, inspire creativity and increase our (real-life) social interactions. A big help for me is attending industry events as a listener. There is no better way to take the pulse of an industry and obtain new topic ideas than by attending an industry event where colleagues, customers and experts are all jammed into a single area. Industry events can, however, be very expensive to attend.
That being said, field trips don’t have to cost a lot of money. It is important to pick a destination that will inspire your writing. I, for example, blog a lot about supply chain management, and a field trip to an Amazon distribution center provided me with some new inspiration. Are you a fashion blogger? Take a trip to the local mall. Are you inspired by nature? Take a hike to clear your mind. The point is to get out from behind the computer and get inspired.
Scan hashtags
Scanning hashtags on Twitter, Facebook and Google+ is like taking a virtual field trip. Identifying the appropriate hashtags to scan requires you to go back to the core focus of your blog and hone in on the key terms that make up the blog’s identity. Once these terms have been found, you can use them to hunt for new ideas. This could include putting your own twist on a certain topic that is currently trending, or writing an industry news wrap-up with curated content.
Aside from digging through hashtags, it is important to keep an eye on other current events and industry news. International sporting events (i.e. the Super Bowl!), holidays, and breaking news stories can all be used to add a creative and relevant twist to your content.
Recruit guest bloggers
At the beginning of 2014, I started hearing grumblings about how guest blogging is dead. This may be true from a Search Engine Optimization point-of-view, if the sole purpose is to build links with spotty content. However, there is nothing wrong with asking a trusted source to provide quality insight to your blog. It may be hard to fathom when looking at the daily bombardment of new content posted to the internet, but not everyone has their own blog. Recruiting these people to write a guest post can provide your audience with a fresh and unique take on a certain topic or issue. Furthermore, guest bloggers help relieve some of the pressure associated with posting regularly.
Dig Deeper
If you decide to follow the first tip and skip a turn, use the time to review your past articles. Is what you wrote still relevant, or have things changed? I, for example, wrote an article back in October 2014 covering my 3-step-approach to twitter success. The article was based on approximately four months of trial and error experience. I have learned a lot since writing that article, so it would be a good idea to expand on the content, sharing additional aspects that can lead to a fruitful twitter experience.
Another way to dig deeper is to conduct a survey with your readers. Creating a survey involves more work, as the questionnaire needs to be created, participants need to be recruited and the results must be analyzed. The upside is a minimum of two new articles and increased involvement of your readers.
Still stuck? Try these 5 post ideas:
Sometimes we are blind to our own experience, so it never hurts to brainstorm further ideas with friends and family members. The actions and post ideas mentioned above have helped me in my quest to “post regularly” and deliver quality content. There is no one-size-fits-all strategy to posting regularly, which emphasizes the importance of finding what inspires you!
How do you stay creative and keep the blog ideas flowing?
I am teaching my 16-year-old daughter how to drive. She’d prefer I don’t speak of our experience with anyone she knows. You’re not acquainted with my daughter, but if she happens to run into you (Don’t worry — I mean like on foot, let’s say in a store or a restaurant!) please immediately state the following, “Hi! I don’t know anything about any smashed-in parking attendant booth.” Thank you in advance for salvaging her privacy.
First, lemme just say I would simply love to meet the lawmaker who decided that someone who still gets acne, oily hair, Drama Queen Awards, collects Hello Kitty stickers, will admit she used to be on “Team Edward” and is prone to fits of giggles when I try to show her the movie, “Terms of Endearments” is the correct age to plunk down in the driver’s seat of my Toyota.
I was thinking of skipping the Driving-Right-of-Passage thing completely and just sending her to college in NYC, hoping she’d eventually get married and settle down blissfully on the subway system.
But somehow, she managed to pass the Online Driver’s Education course with flying colors. Notice I didn’t say with “driving” colors. Nevertheless, I took a deep breath and sent her on her first driving lesson with a paid professional last week. He returned in one hour sharp, asked for $300 dollars, two Tylenols and said he was going to have a root canal in a local bowling alley. Basically, he needed to do something less stressful than driving with my daughter down the quiet side streets of our neighborhood. And he has two steering wheels and passenger brakes in his car.
Before the next lesson, I decided to give her a few of my own tips. You know, those subtle nuances of driving that nobody else can teach you.
Driving Guidelines You Must Learn On Your Own
1. Drive defensively. Assume everyone is an idiot and doesn’t know what they’re doing. Everyone but me.
2. In a left hand-turn lane (without the green arrow to help you know when it’s safe to turn) do not succumb to the pressure of the man behind you who incessantly honks and yells, “Will you go already, you stupid dame!” while checking which way the wind is blowing with his middle finger.
3. Leave one car length between you and the vehicle in front of you for every 10 miles-per-hour you’re traveling. A good rule of thumb is if you can finish singing the chorus of, “It’s All About the Bass” before you rear-end the car in front of you, you’re fine.
4. When other drivers let you cut in front of them, be sure and give them “The Hand.” You know, that little gesturing wave that says, “Thank you for not being a jerk like everyone else on the road and letting me in because you’re obviously a mother yourself and can understand what it’s like when you almost miss your exit and are late for your therapy session.”
5. Don’t toot your horn in rhythms that sound suspiciously like Donna Summer’s “Bad Girls” or the beginning of Michael Jackson’s “Beat It.”
6. Don’t memorize the eye chart at the DMV because you think you’ll look old(er!) in glasses.
7. We don’t call it “your blind Spot” anymore. But be careful of your “sight impaired spot,” because you have several!
8. Whenever you have the inclination to make an illegal u-turn, it’s a sign that you have lots of regrets in your life. So just make another appointment with that nice therapist.
9. Keep important documents like proof of insurance and registration in an envelope clearly marked, “These are not fast food coupons, notes for future blogs or super flattering selfies taken at stoplights that don’t show your crow’s feet.”
10. Never answer your cell phone while driving unless you can tell by the angry, persistent ring that it’s me calling you to pick up toilet paper and Ranch dressing.
11. Using certain interior features costs you more gasoline. No air-conditioning unless it’s the Hot Flash from Hell. Don’t put the heat on unless it’s to blow-dry your hair or defrost the lamb chops you forgot you’re making for dinner.
12. Don’t call AAA aut -club, crying about locking your keys in the car more than once a week. If you do, make up a new last name. We’ve already used up our quota for that particular issue thru the year 2022.
13. Don’t trust the little dashboard gauge that says you can drive five more miles before running out of gas. I’ve called the Toyota dealer and made them admit a practical joker engineer designed that. Also ignore the funny-looking symbols that light up for no apparent reason at various mysterious times of driving. Those were programmed in by the author of the car manufacturer’s manual in the hopes his “book” would become a best-seller.
The author of the Car Manufacturer’s Manual also loves Exclamation Points!!!!!!!!!
14. Remember the acronym “A COMB AND BRUSH” which stands for, “Always Call On Mom Before Arriving Near Dangerous Boys Rarely Using Safety Harnesses.” If it’s too late for that and you’ve already hit the handsome parking lot attendant, simply remember what McDonalds claims to use in their Fillet-O-Fish. COD. (Call On Dad!)
Me: OK, that’s it. What do you think?
Daughter: Don’t worry, Mom. When we’re done with me, I can save my allowance and we’ll get you some driving lessons too.
You might be asking why I’m rushing this process. After all, many kids don’t get their license until they’re closer to 17 or 18. It’s because teaching her to drive has aged me far more than any menopausal symptom ever has, and I’ll be needing someone to drop me off at the Senior Citizen Home next week.
Originally posted on Author’s Humor Blog “Once Upon Your Prime!”
In 2014, our planet added approximately 80 million new Earthlings. That equates to the population of California, New York and Florida added to a world with depleting natural resources, unprecedented water scarcity and citizens with a “throwaway” mentality. As scientists predict that Earth’s population will only continue to grow, our fate will be determined by strides toward sustainable life now and in the future.
Population growth is an issue that transcends age, race, religion and borders. It touches on every environmental issue facing our planet — clean water, energy usage, public lands and wilderness use, endangered species, raw materials and food. And yet, it is the one issue that most major environmental organizations are not mentioning, let alone addressing. Humankind needs to become more educated on this topic. It’s vital to the survival of our species.
Take a second to think about the following statistics:
• 1 billion people are added to the planet every 12 years.
• Today, nearly 1 billion people do not have access to food and safe drinking water.
• 2.2 million acres of forest and ranch land are destroyed every year in the U.S, due to sprawl.
• Deforestation limits our planet’s ability to control temperature.
• Every human generates 4.3 lbs. of waste per day.
One can easily grasp from these numbers that a growing population in a habitat with diminishing resources is not only detrimental, but is deadly.
Consider water. We rely on water for sanitation, sustenance and agriculture. What’s mind-boggling is that only 2.5 percent of the Earth’s water is fresh, and we only have access to one percent of it! What’s more, UN research suggests that water usage is growing at twice the rate of the population and that by 2025, approximately 23 percent of the population will live in an area affected by water scarcity. Our growing population is and will further strain our diminishing freshwater, and has already been the cause of domestic unrest in the U.S. (for example, “The American Nile“).
Another serious issue is waste. We often treat Mother Earth as a perpetual trash can. Too often the “use and throw away” mentality trumps all. The public is bombarded with products that are not designed for reuse. The trash often provides the graveyard for modern consumerism.
According to a robust breakdown by the EPA, in 2012 the U.S. incurred the highest levels of municipal solid waste generation so far in the 21st century (with 2012 being the second highest ever on record). A chilling, yet opportunistic, finding in the report is that Americans’ largest component of discarded waste is organic and recyclable. This means that Americans are putting too much paper, paperboard and compostable materials in landfills rather than recycling and reusing.
The silver lining is that Americans have an opportunity to better our practices by educating communities on recycling and composting programs, and providing accessible and affordable options. Convenience play a major factor in the adoption of recycling. However, compared to our European counterparts, we have a long way to go. Population growth requires us to abandon the traditional “use and discard” method.
Another pressure of population growth has been the impacts to our public lands and wild areas. Millions of acres of previously undeveloped lands are sacrificed each year in the U.S. to support urban growth, energy development and other private interests. Public lands, which support diverse ecosystems and exploratory outlets for those channeling their inner John Muir, are diminishing. Visits in 2014 to our National Treasures are up 20 million visitors over 2013. Conflicts between disparate users of public lands are becoming higher profile. Ranchers and gun owners protesting curtailment of public use, off-road vehicle enthusiasts and hikers coming into conflict, and the growth invasive species (often transported by human visitors and their machines) all threaten our public lands.
In addition, our forests are also shrinking. Saving America’s forests is rooted in protecting our wild, undeveloped areas. The Natural Resources Defense Council cites how U.S. energy companies in the Southeast are putting a tremendous strain on the local forests to produce energy for their fossil fuel burning plants. The U.S. also utilizes domestic forests for international profit agendas, and the Southeast has become the largest exporter of wood pellets in the world.
Urban growth also puts pressure on wild lands and has garnered serious attention from the Center for Biological Diversity (Director of Population and Sustainability Stephanie Feldstein’s blog), NYU (Urbanization Project), and the World Urban Forum. All three agree that population growth is a humanitarian issue, which requires careful attention and planning from urban and rural centers now.
Finally, there is the hard truth about birth rates. While falling world-wide, we are still replacing each human on the planet with two, four, and in some places, upward of eight children per adult! Though some economists believe world economic growth might be negatively impacted by a reduction of birthrates, our planet cannot sustain our current use of resources. Each year, we use the equivalent of 1.5 Earths. If current population growth and use statistics continue on the path we’re on, it is projected that we will be using two Earths of resources every year by the 2030s.
Meanwhile in the U.S., 397,122 children are living without permanent families in the foster care system. A total of 101,666 of these children are eligible for adoption. Around the world, an estimated 153 million orphans have lost one parent, and there are 17,900,000 orphans who have lost both parents and are living in orphanages or on the streets – and lack the care and attention required for healthy development. These children are at risk for disease, malnutrition and death. In other words, there are many children worldwide needing homes, but yet we as Americans compound our sustainability and environmental problem by having children at a rate that dwarfs the adoption rate by over 500 times.
Many small organizations, including my own, are scrupulously working toward protecting our growing population. While I believe that contributions from smaller organizations help enact change, it is also imperative that larger organizations with more robust resources get involved. Mobilization and activation are critical if we are going to make any real preparations to host our fast-growing family on Earth.
Is there room for faith in politics, even with the separation of church and state?
New York-based Union Theological Seminary hosted a day-long “Congressional Orientation on Faith and Governing” in Washington, D.C. on Tuesday, aiming to address this very question.
The orientation allowed “members to explore how their spirituality intersects with their service to our country,” Serene Jones, President of Union Theological Seminary, said in a statement.
“Just as King Solomon knew that you couldn’t cut a baby in half and expect it to live, we know that you can’t separate faith, values, and politics and expect our democracy to thrive.”
Timed to coincide with the convening of the 114th Congress, the orientation included three closed sessions led by Union faculty members — “Faith & Politics vs. Church & State,” “How to Talk About Your Own Faith” and “How Policy and Faith Interact” — as well as a session open to the public in which members of Congress shared the ways in which faith plays a role in their lives and policy decisions.
Other panelists included President of the Healing of the Nations Foundation Jim Forbes, Harvard University Humanist chaplain Greg Epstein, Executive Director of the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships Melissa Rogers and Robert Jones, CEO of Public Religion Research Institute.
Congress members joining the event included Democrats Senator Chris Coons of Delaware, Representatives James Clyburn of South Carolina, Emanuel Cleaver of Missouri, Sheila Jackson Lee of Texas and David Price of North Carolina.
Coons, who identifies as a Progressive Christian and attended Yale Divinity School at the same time as Jones, said he was “thrilled” to participate in the “Faith and Values Matter in Congress” public session.
“I think it’s important for elected leaders to work from their faith traditions and for those of us who are progressive or who are Democrats… to not be hesitant about speaking about how our faith experience leads us to act,” Coons told The Huffington Post.
In his own Christian tradition, the senator said he looks to the Bible’s Matthew 25 and its iconic words, “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in.”
“It is a simple, clear agenda for how we should engage with our neighbors and who we should be concerned about,” Coons said. “To me the message of the Torah and the New Testament focuses on justice, to see our neighbors as broadly as possible.”
The Republican-majority 114th Congress is expected to tackle issues ranging from the Keystone XL pipeline to immigration reform and national security. Many say dismantling the Affordable Care Act is also high on the agenda.
A recent Pew survey found that the incoming Congress carried a 92 percent Christian majority, while less than two percent reported “Unaffiliated” or refused to answer about their faith.
Some of the issues the Congress faces may be more impacted by faith values than others, but Jones argued that all of us “have moral convictions that inform the work we do.”
“It is impossible not to be formed by our values,” Jones said in the statement. “Moreover, for people of faith, it is impossible not to be formed by our faith.”
Benjamin Netanyahu believes he has just one job, and that is to stop Iran from getting hold of nuclear weapons.
At the Citizens United Iowa Freedom Summit co-hosted by Rep. Steve King (R-IA 4), the congressman drew a comparison between President Obama’s upbringing in Indonesia and his own. King referred to a statement made by Obama that the call to Islamic prayer was “the most beautiful sound in the world” (King’s mis-quote), and seemed to imply that the president is a closeted Muslim. The congressman said that both men were dramatically impacted by those formative years, and that for himself, “that’s that time in my life when the world was right.” Shark Tank reporter Javier Manjarres had asked King why he thought it was so hard for Obama to use the words “Islamic jihadists.”
Rep. King is known for opining on President Obama’s upbringing, and sowing seeds of doubt with regard to his religion, with remarks like “[Obama] doesn’t have an American experience.” In this 2011 interview with Lawrence O’Donnell, King said that he took Obama at his word in terms of his faith, but that the president needed to work harder to dispel the notion that he is a Muslim.
At the Freedom Summit, Manjarres told me of the encounter, emphasizing that he understood King’s implication to be that Obama is a Muslim. After watching the clip, I was struck by a more subtle aspect of King’s statements. Given that King was born in 1949, he would be referring to the 1950s and 60s — decades that were great for white men, but not so much for Black Americans, women and gay people. They are also decades in which U.S. tax rates were near their highest, with a top rate of 92 percent (they briefly hit 94 percent during World War II in the ’40s). Does King yearn for a return to those glory days? And if so, is it for the rampant discrimination or the high tax rates?
Winter storm Juno has done its best to poke a hole in the inflated price for Super Bowl tickets on the secondary market, and for the second consecutive day, prices continue to tumble. The game reached historical highs last weekend and nearly surpassed a $6,500 average, but as snow pummels the Northeast and six days remain before Super Bowl XLIX, the average secondary market price for tickets has finally begun to decrease.
According to TiqIQ, the average price for Super Bowl tickets on the secondary market is now $5,733.38, which is down 6 percent since Monday’s average of $6,103.07 and 11.2 percent lower than Sunday’s peak average of $6,459.21. Fans shouldn’t expect to get in for much cheaper, however, as the game’s cheapest seat has remained above the $3,000 asking price over the last several days.
The get-in price for Super Bowl XLIX is currently $3,300 and will likely remain firm up until the weekend, when prices are expected to drop directly prior to the game. Because of that, fans will either have to strike while the iron is hot today or risk the chance at scoring a deal on decreasing prices later in the week. However, if planning to purchase tickets in the coming days, fans can expect hospitality and airfare accommodations to be pricey as hotels fill up in the Phoenix area.
Since TiqIQ began tracking ticket data in 2010, no other Super Bowl has reached the $5,000 average on the secondary market. Prior to this year’s exorbitant prices, 2012’s game between the Patriots and New York Giants was the most expensive Super Bowl at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. That year, the average secondary price for Super Bowl XLVI tickets was $4,214.53. Tom Brady and Bill Belichick failed to secure their elusive fourth ring together, ultimately falling to the Giants by a final score of 21-17.
The Seahawks’ Super Bowl championship at MetLife Stadium last season was significantly cheaper than this year’s game at University of Phoenix Stadium as well. Last year, Russell Wilson and Richard Sherman silenced the Broncos to the tune of a $3,375.88 average ticket price on the secondary market. That marks a price jump of 70.3 percent in year-over-year average. Such a massive increase is largely due to the Arizona climate in comparison to the New York chill of an early February game. The numerous events being held around downtown Phoenix this week may also play a part in the inflated Super Bowl prices this year.
With the conclusion of Tuesday’s Media Day, the Greater Phoenix area is set to welcome several notable events and performances in the days leading up to Sunday’s game. Prospective fans still perusing the secondary market for XLIX tickets should consider pulling the trigger soon or wait until later in the week to find the best deals.
When I was a boy of 8 or 9, I was walking through the woods in the mountains near home with my Father when we came upon a large tree that had been cut to clear the path. My father pointed to the rings at the cross section where the tree had been cut and asked if I knew their significance.
I gave him the conventional answer telling him I knew the rings of the tree reflected the tree’s age. My father said that was right and then he expanded that observation in a way I have never been able to forget.
“If you look closely,” he said, “it can also tell you something of the tree’s history.”
Dad pointed to a narrow band near the tree’s center.
“That tells you this was a tough year for this tree. If you count back the rings and determine the date you will probably find that it was a dry year or that the tree faced some other challenge to its growth. Conversely, the broad band tells you the tree had a year of expansive growth.”
“But what is most important is the pattern,” he said. “Broad bands almost invariably follow narrow bands. That’s because in the dry years and difficult periods the tree had to put its roots down deeper in order to survive.”
Like the tree, we are all at times challenged and pushed to the limits of our existence. If we are to survive and grow, we must reach deep and draw on the best part of ourselves. Those who cannot find a purpose in their pain are diminished by it. Those who do are enlarged and strengthened by the process.
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.
