Hasta La Gadget!

It has only been a few months since Time acquired Myspace.com and now it’s having to do damage control for a major hack that appears to have compromised passwords of hundreds of millions of people. Time Inc. has confirmed through a press release that earlier this week its technical teams were notified of attempts to sell Myspace usernames, passwords and email addresses registered before June 2013 online.

One thing that Time doesn’t confirm in the press release is exactly how many accounts have been affected by this hack. Other reports suggest that the number might be as high as 360 million.

Myspace is reaching out to users who have been affected by this hack. It’s also working with the authorities to try and find the people who caused it.

It also points out that the breach is limited to accounts registered before June 2013 because in the summer of 2013 Myspace took significant steps to improve security as part of a site re-launch. Myspace currently uses advanced protocols to store passwords, in simple words, this means that if you signed up for Myspace after June 2013 you need not be concerned.

Myspace isn’t as popular as it used to be once. Chances are that you may have had an account at some point in time, so even if you haven’t used Myspace in years, it’s possible that your details could have been leaked as well. Keep an eye on your online presence, and if you have the bad habit of using one password across multiple services and never changing it, it’s time now to update your passwords.

Myspace Hack Confirmed By Time Inc. , original content from Ubergizmo. Read our Copyrights and terms of use.

You might have owned an Atari console at some point in time. The company has been out of the hardware game for some time now but it has announced its return. Yes, it’s right, Atari is going to start making hardware once again but unfortunately it’s not going to be a console. The company is jumping on the Internet of Things bandwagon and it will be making connected smart home devices instead.

Atari hasn’t provided too many details about its upcoming hardware devices, only that it’s going to create smart home gadgets which will range from “highly sophisticated” to “simple.”

Its connected smart devices will be in the safety, pets, lifestyle, and home categories. These products will be made possible through a partnership with Sigfox. It’s going to provide the Internet of Things technology which will actually power these devices. Atari is focused on the consumer market for connected objects as well as on the charity space.

Granted, Atari isn’t the first company that pops into mind when you think about connected smart home devices, the company is better known for its iconic consoles. However, times demand that the company try and reinvent itself, and that’s what it’s doing with this latest project. Whether or not it will be successful in this remains to be seen.

Atari Making Hardware Again , original content from Ubergizmo. Read our Copyrights and terms of use.

Café Society is alive and well and thriving on 54th Street in Manhattan, specifically at Feinstein’s 54 Below, the epicenter of New York’s cabaret scene and, dare I say it, the world’s. Enter an unpresuming metal door with minimal signage, descend down an uninviting staircase, open the interior door: a wave of frivolity bursts forth, and for a brief moment, “Life is beautiful, the girls are beautiful, even the orchestra is beautiful.”

Sadly my quote from Cabaret seems all too prescient, for Trump got his 1237. Maybe this is how the people in Berlin felt as they entered their cabarets during the Weimar Republic. They could forget the reality outside. For an evening, at least.

I was able to forget the outside world at 54 Below numerous times in the past: I saw Broadway star Lee Roy Reams and met his dancing feet; I saw the great male actress Charles Busch in the funniest show I’ve seen since Bette at the Palace; I even saw Metropolitan Opera stars Patricia Racette, Charles Castronovo, and Paulo Szot strut their non-classical stuff.

But perhaps my favorite show there — and maybe my favorite one-woman show since Lena Horne’s, a hundred years ago — was just the other night. I was lucky enough to see the legendary Marilyn Maye bringing down the house.

These days, you can’t mention Marilyn Maye’s name without bringing up her age: 88! But just like the number of keys on a piano, each of her 88 years only adds to the musicality of this great artist and makes for an essential part of the whole.

I had never seen her perform in person; my friend Bruce became a fan of hers by way of her many YouTube clips and persuaded me to go. As he said, “I’m not sure how much longer she’s gonna be around.” Well, if last week was any indication, she’ll be going on and on longer than the Energizer Bunny.

Maye appeared on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson a record-breaking 76 times. He referred to her as “Super-Singer,” and the name stuck. Now, she seems to be at the height of her powers as an entertainer, with her phenomenal, still-in-tact voice, her effortless phrasing, and perfect intonation. And let’s not forget that remarkable sense of rhythm.

She bounded on stage in a dazzling silver outfit (very Bob Mackie); she glittered, and the crowd went wild. I was seated with two strangers and asked if they were fans of Marilyn’s. They replied instantly, “Who isn’t?!”

She opened with some special lyrics written to “I’ve Grown Accustomed to Her Face,” which was pleasant but nothing special. Oh, but then! Then, she kicked into the swingiest arrangement that I’ve ever heard of “On the Street Where You Live,” and she had the audience eating out of her hand. I’ve always loved that song but never imagined it could swing so hard. (And, lest the reader forget, she’s 88 years old!)

She told the sold-out crowd how she doesn’t really like to talk to the audience, because they came for the singing. Given her charming banter, I rather didn’t believe her. She did, however, say that this show was going to be different. She said she had a lot of stories to tell and she figured she better start telling them before time ran out. So we were treated to her life story through song.

She talked about her several husbands, all of whom were (euphemistically) “fun” and (not so euphemistically) alcoholics. Ah, the life of a singer! But it certainly gave her a whopping back story to sing about. And her “love medley” of “My Romance” (which may be my favorite Rodgers and Hart song), “Why Did I Choose You?” and “That’s All” constituted a master class in the art of song interpretation. She brought out every nuance in the lyrics, every subtle change in the harmony, all effortlessly. The combination of her instant rapport with the audience, a sexy and wise attitude, her honesty, gorgeous blue eyes, fluid gestures punctuating every thought, and hip sense of humor (she was always in on the joke) was unbeatable.

She was joined on stage by Musical Director Billy Stritch, who is a consummate performer in his own right. The two of them couldn’t remember if they’d been together 35 or 36 years. I loved it when Marilyn scatted choruses, but I almost jumped out of my seat when Billy started doubling her scat, a third down, in perfect sync. Another highlight of the act!

She double-entendre’d her way through a Fats Waller medley. It’s really hard to hear these songs and not be reminded of the great revue, Ain’t Misbehavin’, or the way Fats used to sing these songs himself. But here was a white woman, sneaking around the stage, making sure the audience enjoyed every innuendo that lyricist Andy Razaf dropped into the song. And she turned the jazzy melodic lines of Waller into her own personal property — a remarkable achievement.

Perhaps my favorite part of the show was when she talked about the ’60’s — when the Beatles and the rest of the British Invasion knocked Sinatra, Martin, and other exponents of the Great American Songbook off the charts. However, Broadway audiences then still had some record-buying clout, and publishers would often come to Ms. Maye to record one of the songs from their latest upcoming show, to get it on the charts before the show opened and hopefully generate some noise for the fledgling musical. Imagine a time when the song “Cabaret” was unknown! Well, Marilyn was given that song, and she made it into a small hit even before the show had opened.

The publishers also gave her “Step to the Rear” from the ill-fated How Now, Dow Jones. The show failed, but Marilyn recorded the song with great success: not so much on the charts as with a car commercial. Her singing this song with special lyrics about a Lincoln-Mercury made her the most money in her career. She happily told us that we should always do a commercial every now and then to pay the bills! (And by the way, the new car lyrics didn’t even scan with the music, which reminds one of the inexorable commercial using E.Y. Harburg’s “If I Only Had A Brain” with new lyrics that are sure to have the author spinning in his grave. Excuse the rant.)

The show ended with the inevitable “I’m Still Here,” though I’m not sure we needed that summation. The entire show was a tribute to her still being here. And boy am I glad!

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I had the most amazing experience last Friday.

Ever since The New York Times first published the story of the couple who came to be known as the Afghani Romeo and Juliet, a young couple named Zakia and Mohammed Ali, who simply wanted to marry each other and then faced an honor killing, I have endeavored, together with philanthropist Dr. Miriam Adelson, to help save the couple’s lives.

A word about Miriam. Along with Rod Nordland, whom I’ll discuss in a moment, she is one of the true heroes of this incredible story. At a time when America is debating whether Islamic immigrants should be allowed into the United States, here is one of the foremost donors to the Republican Party in the entire country endeavoring day and night to help save an Islamic woman from an honor killing and bring her and her husband and baby into the United States. For the past two years Miriam has pushed me and others relentlessly to do everything in our power to help rescue this couple from tragedy. She was invested in heart, mind, and pocket in helping the couple in every way, and did so with humility and total devotion. That the world’s foremost Jewish philanthropist helped to rescue an Islamic family from harm speaks volumes about Jewish values and what all of us in the Jewish community can do to help others.

As is by now well known, when the story first came out in a major feature in The New York Times in March 2014, I was contacted by Miriam, who was so moved by this story of romantic love that she wanted to do anything to save the couple from an honor killing. Inspired by Miri’s relentless push to rescue the couple, I was able to track down Rod Nordland, The New York Times’ Pulitzer-Prize winning Kabul bureau chief, and start a process of trying to rescue the couple.

We approached almost everyone. I had private meetings with Samantha Power, the American Ambassador to the United Nations. I discussed the issue with several Senators including Robert Menendez, Cory Booker, Ted Cruz, Congressman Ed Royce, Governor Chris Christie and others trying to highlight to them that this couple represented arguably the most famous story about honor killings anywhere in the world and that we have to make every effort to rescue their lives.

I had several meetings with the staff of Ambassador Power and at the height of the presidential primaries I discussed the couple’s case with a few of the Republican contenders.

Our organization, The World Values Network, with a grant from Miriam Adelson, were later able to rescue Fatima Kazimi, who was the head of the Bamian Women’s Ministry, and her family, who came under threat after helping Zakia. Through the good graces of President Paul Kagame of Rwanda, we were able to move Fatima and her family to Rwanda and ultimately Fatima was able to then gain asylum in the United States. She now lives in Maryland.

We very grateful to host Fatima and her family just a month ago at our Champions of Jewish Values International Awards Gala. She presented by Miriam and Sheldon Adelson our “Champion of Women’s Rights Award.” It was an incredible spectacle to see the world’s foremost Jewish philanthropists being honored by an Islamic woman for rescuing her and her family and helping them come as refugees into the United States.

Our dinner, which took place on Holocaust Remembrance Day, had many special moments, including addresses by Iranian Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, Peter Bergson’s daughter Becky Cook, Israel lover and defender Pamela Anderson, Dr. Mehmet Oz with Hatzalah founder Eli Beer, and Marion and Elisha Wiesel. But Fatima’s moving speech kicked off the evening.

And I felt privileged enough just to meet Fatima. Never did I imagine that Zakia and Mohammad Ali would themselves get out so quickly after so many false starts and that I’d be sitting in a kosher restaurant in New York City having lunch with them.

Rod Nordland, the great hero of the story, who works for The New York Times and who authored the best selling book “The Lovers” about their experience, wrote to me a week ago saying that there’s been a major breakthrough and it looked like the American government was going to allow Zakia and Mohammad Ali to come to the United States. Rod, together with an outstanding organization called Women for Afghan Women, saved their lives. After that, it happened so quickly, then here I was last Friday finally meeting them face to face over a kosher lunch together with Rod and their translator in New York City.

As Muslims they can eat at a kosher restaurant because kosher meat is automatically halal. It’s beautiful to see their gorgeous little daughter, Ruqia. It was also beautiful to see the two of them together.

What inspires me is their devotion and dedication to their Islamic faith, with Zakia having her head covered and the two of them eating only within their dietary requirements.

Their journey is only just beginning, and they have to acclimate to their new environment in the United States. They do not read, speak, or write the language, and the financial challenges they face are considerable. Miriam Adelson has made a further financial commitment to them.

But to see they alive, well, and safe from an honor killing, and invited in by the great United States was truly a blessing.

Let this moving story of America rescuing an Islamic family from certain death give all of us automatic pause on a ban on any religious group coming into the United States. Without a doubt, people need to be vetted before they come to the US to make sure they’re not a danger or a threat. That’s true of every immigrant. But a religion should never determine whether someone should be allowed to enter this great nation, that has once again proved, by taking in a couple in great danger, that America is the shining beacon of freedom to the world.

Rabbi Shmuley Boteach whom The Washington Post calls “the most famous rabbi in America” is the founder of The World Values Network and is the international best-selling author of 30 books, including his just-published, “The Israel Warrior: Fighting Back for the Jewish State from Campus to Street Corner.” Follow him on Twitter @RabbiShmuley.

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We all have that dream of an extended luxury vacation. You are waited on hand and foot. Your linens are changed, your laundry taken care of. Food designed just for you is created and served to you, or even brought to your personally appointed room. You have nothing to do but relax, to chat with others of your station. In the mornings they put you in a comfy chair to take in the sun, and in the evening there’s turn down service…..

Because, of course we all dream of our nursing home at the end of life, don’t we?

No, actually, we do not. We all dread it. But, according to the U.S. Bureau of the Census, slightly over 5 percent of the 65+ population occupy nursing homes or the like. 35% of us will at some time need to enter nursing home care. And the numbers are growing as the aging population does. We don’t think about it until we have to, but we have to, friends.

It’s hard enough to talk about nursing homes. Let’s make it even more awkward: how about sex in nursing homes?

Whether you are comfortable or not, there is a growing movement to give nursing home residents back the dignity of a sex life. In one rather famous example, the Hebrew Home at Riverdale in New Jersey has an explicit policy on sex between residents and with partners not living in the home. And the policy isn’t “NO! GROSS, Grandma!” Not all homes have policies, but it is a increasingly talked about issue in training and research around aging. First they take your salt, then they take your car keys, but what about your sexy time?

It is time for us all to consider, along with wishes regarding side-rails on beds and non-slip socks, bedroom behaviors and condoms, too. If not for our parents, in our wishes expressed to our kids about our own sexual identities and desires. If Grandpa doesn’t recognize grandma any more, can he take a lover? If Aunt Mae fancies Aunt Camille in the next bed over, should the staff knock first? Are there conjugal visits allowed in your nursing home of choice? What’s consent mean with dementia? Why does being medically fragile mean losing intimacy, too?

It isn’t simple, and it falls to the children of the resident, usually, people who are probably the least likely to have had a plan for managing their parents’ hormones.

This week’s Our Better Half podcast features a daughter who had to make such a plan, and illustrates all the complexity of caring for parents when it comes to their sex lives. Author, Laura Zera, explains what happens when she and her sister were asked whether their mother’s nursing home affair should be broken up.

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