A new and competitive power source is emerging by way of solar energy. At first just being a nice alternative for other electric utilities making up only 0.4 percent of electricity in the United States; solar power was not perceived as a competitor. Yet tens of thousands of Americans are installing photovoltaic panels on their roofs generating their own power. Simultaneously 43 states have net metering laws that allow solar powered households to literally sell their excess energy back to the grid at retail prices.
This is when it becomes a problem for older energy companies, a study done from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory argues without policy changes to net metering this trend of solar power could utilities in significant financial straits. Stating that if rooftop solar were to acquire 10 percent of the market over the next decade utility earnings could decline by 41 percent. So to avoid this impending fate companies are pushing for reforms that will at least slow down the growth of rooftop solar power. Although conservative groups are working against solar power, several Tea Party groups are now defending solar as well, suggesting that they would allow solar to expand but also ensure that there's enough money to maintain the existing grid.
The first major battle over net metering was back in 2013 concerning Arizona Public Service and their offer of 50$ per month for all households with rooftop solar. This action received a lot of backlash from solar companies and regulators pared the fee back to 5$ per month. Other disputes over net metering are occurring in other states as well such as, Wisconsin, the largest utility state. Wisconsin is considering charging all homeowners a higher price to connect to the grid. The preemptive tactics by the state and these companies are very similar to ones talked about in class in reference to autonomous cars. Once these buffers are resolved though the wave of technology to come cannot be stopped.
I chose to do my blog post on a new and very interesting invention called the "Smart Pipe". The Smart Pipe is a new way to monitor water quality and quantity in public water systems. The idea came from two students at the University of Illinois, Mr. Yu-Feng Lin and Mr. Chang Liu in 2009. When doing a study on public water systems in 2009, the two students found out that over seven billion gallons of clean, treated water disappears every single day due to leaks and damages inside the water pipes. The students also found out that this is enough water to supply the population in California in daily water usage. Seven billion gallons of lost water can lead to a loss of between 20 and 100 million dollars per day. This of course is entirely too much money to waste every day, and a loss of that much water can be a loss of energy resources for future generations.
The way the Smart Pipe works is using nano sensor technology to improve water system infrastructure. Each 2.5 by 2.5 millimeter base unit would include sensors for pressure and temperature flow velocity. The Smart Pipe would also be connected with a wireless processor and antenna to transfer monitoring data to a command center in real time.The sensors inside the water pipes would detect pipe pressure, flow rate, slow-flow sections, stagnant points, pipe leakage, and water quality. Applying this technology at an affordable cost will help small, rural water systems maintain the maximum amount of clean, treated water to reach its rightful destination. After undergoing hundreds of tests, the Smart Pipe still proved to be extremely efficient and the invention has began to be placed in small, rural water systems, and according to the Lin and Liu, if the Smart Pipe continues to show success it could be used on an even greater scale in the future. However, the broader application of this invention is dependent on future research and government funding. Below is a video of Mr. Lin himself showing a demonstration of the Smart Pipe.
I conducted research on a encryption software which I believe could have potential future implications. One product that I discovered is an app called The Silent Circle. Basically, the name of the application The Silent Circle provides somewhat of a foreshadowing description of the service it provides. In layman's terms, The Silent Circle app allows the user to create a network that is essentially silent from the cloud. Messages exchanged across the users protected network are automatically encrypted; in contrast to most established social networks which do not provide adequate measures that reasonably protect consumer data from unwanted third parties. My thoughts on this technology stem from dialogues about the protection of privacy verse invasion of privacy that are current and important for our generation.
In July of 2014, the Brookings Institute published a report titled "10 Inventions That Could Change the World" and Ultra-private smartphones which use the Smart Circle technology made their list. (http://www.brookings.edu/blogs/techtank/posts/2014/06/10-mit-techreview-2014) The application also was praised by MIT tech reviewers recognizing the value of data encryption in an information era. I acknowledge that these institutions consistently provide credible insights, yet I am still reserved about my opinion on Silent Circle technology.
In brief, I believe that this application has a variety of uses across many industries. Some of the potential users for this product are detailed by Forbes staff writer Parmy Olson in her 2013 article titled "Corporate Customers Flock to Anti-Snooping App Silent Circle."
In her article she points out that "Silent Circle is forecasting 2-3 million subscribers by the end of 2013, spanning individuals, corporations and various government agencies and militaries from around the world." For many individuals in the groups mentioned, they benefit from the app because the nature of their business and practices necessitate discrete transfer of confidential information across secure networks. Yet, it is also worth mentioning that another group of potential users of secure communication apps can include nefarious types: International terrorist organizations, arms or human traffickers, local crime syndicates, and multinational drug cartels. It is necessary to observe that both groups create an interesting contrast in how we view the integral role and influence of modern innovation in the future.
My position on the debate acknowledges that without question, communication and sending data matters to a lot of people. Increasing our efforts to safeguard information through the implementation of innovative data protection software has future implications beyond privacy. There are economic benefits of secure-data which are consistent with the surge in consumer spending on smartphones, because, for the millennial consumer and many others, the internet is necessarily here to stay. Profit incentive is a primary reason why The Silent Circle App was created.
Secondly, the fear for many users of modern telecommunications devices is of having ones data mined, communications observed, or identity taken. The need to provide a secure means of transferring information across ones network also prompted the creation of The Silent Circle app. This reality supports the position of advocates of greater protection of rights and privacy. Yet, to this same end, hackers with the ability to successfully steal consumer information cannot be identified until after they have committed the invasion of privacy. Therefore, the capabilities to monitor, record, and mine consumer information will continue to be vital towards catching criminals, which makes reasonable intrusions ultimately necessary. However, because these conditions are at conflict, I am indifferent on the debate the whether more privacy is necessary or if justifying invasions of privacy is a good thing.
Furthermore, we can observe actual criminal and civil court cases where private conversations are used against people to secure a conviction. This reality stands without limitation on the practice of firms employing complex data mining schemes and conducting market "research" on individuals, while also being required by federal subpoena to report relevant data to authorities. As much as we would like to believe that our words should be protected as "freedom of speech," "freedom of expression," under the implied "right to privacy," or by consumer protection laws, we cannot be certain to receive that judicial privilege when, contractually, the most popular internet sites that we frequent all have affiliates and extensive networks of third parties that have genuine interest in consumer data. Likewise, if afforded complete protection of privacy, nefarious types may also thrive in their "silent circles" and benefit from immunity from prosecution, and thus, extremists would also have a secure platform to continue their activities. Summarily, because of the statements like the second line of the Miranda rule, where "anything you say can and will be used against in a court of law," the idea that one can protect themselves from persecution by being smart about the messages they send across the cloud becomes mute when we apply the same benefits to suspected criminals.
Thus, the advantages of The Silent Circle are that it provides a secure network for the privacy-conscious consumer, but its disadvantage to society in general because it prohibits authorities from observing the communications of potentially bad people planning to do bad things. Although the benefit of maintaining a private network does not negate responsible use by the consumer, it at least helps informed users stay ahead of an ever-changing, dynamic industry. In all, while the Silent Circle has created a distinct software solution -via an application for mobile devices- that balances the burden of ensuring consumer rights through data protection, it cannot possibly avoid infringing on a governments duty to protect all citizens from the nefarious actions of criminal enterprises. Therefore, we should continue to observe the global challenge to support the free flow of information, but keep in mind the necessity of the task of dismantling the nefarious types of organizations that exist in the world.
More information about The Silent Circle App can be found on the following sites:
GOOGLE ROBOTS
Google bought Boston Dynamics in 2013. It is the eighth robotics company that Google has acquired in the last half-year. Executives at the Internet giant are circumspect about what exactly they plan to do with their robot collection.
It seems as though going to the movies is not as popularly as it used to be. Ticket sales for movie theaters are at an all time low and the price of tickets keep rising. Some can attribute this declining trend in ticket sales to the new increasing market for home theater systems.
Companies such as Bose, Sony, Samsung, and Epson are now making sound systems, projectors, and TV screens that are competing with the commercial Movie Theater. The sound that some Bose systems deliver make you feel like you are in the movie, and if you combine that with the new 4K projectors that are one the market; you might think your home is a movie theater. Lastly, the ease at which one can access movies provides another blow to the movie theater industry. Platforms such as Netflix, on demand, and movie torrent sites allow for very easy access to movies that it does not make sense to go theater, but more sense to have a home theater.
Many families are investing in transforming their basements into home theaters not only because the technology is available, but also because it is able to add value to the home, create an atmosphere that is more welcoming to family and friends, while also saving money in the long run. The average yearly cost of going to the movies is $900 for a family of four.1 Instead of wasting that money on two hours of pleasure families are saving to afford the permanent long-term investment and pleasure of having a 10,000-50,000 home theater.1 The home theater coupled with the easy access to movies gives them the freedom to watch when they want to watch. It also adds value to the home and family bonding experience.
If the industry does not find some way to increase their sales, the home theater in my eyes will eventually put movie theaters out of business. One incentive that movie theaters could offer would be selling dinner along with the movie. This would entice more people to go to the movies because it would eliminate the hassle of cooking dinner. But currently ticket sales are on the decline as you can see from the graph below. Also, I have attached some videos and links providing more information on Home Theaters.
After the economic crisis banks have been very hesitant to grant loans to aspiring entrepreneurs and small business owners. Crowdfunding is a popular technique that allows backers to finance for-profit or non-profit ventures. The Securities and Exchange Commission recently took a critical step in making securities-based crowd funding, which includes debt and equity exchange, a reality for aspiring small businesses. The SEC has proposed a set of rules called "Regulation Crowdfunding" that is in connection with Title III of the Jumpstart Our Business Act or JOBS Act which was signed into law in 2012. Traditionally crowdfunding involves a company offering advanced product or information releases, premium services in exchange for an investment. Regulation Crowdfunding would expand on these principles allowing companies to issue actual securities in exchange for an investment amount. This would be a substantial shift from what has become the familiar procedures found on websites such as Kickstarter which has claimed to have received over $1 billion dollars in pledges.
Title III of the JOBS Act, built on the previous regulations by adding the a new securities section, which addresses the transactions involving the offer or sale of securities by an issuer under certain provisions. This is a Securities Section that issues a relief from certain registration requirements set in place by previously established regulations for crowd funding transactions. In order for ventures to qualify for this exemption, crowd funding transactions by an issuer must meet the following requirements. These requirements can be found on the SEC website.
In a twelve month period the amount raised must not go beyond one million dollars.
The individual investments in a twelve month period are limited also to certain restrictions
The greater of 2,000 dollars or 5 percent of annual income or net worth, that being if the annual income or net worth of the investor is less that 100,000 dollars.
10 percent of annual income or net worth that cannot exceed the amount of 100,000 dollars, if annual is 100,000 dollars or more. The amounts are subject to change every 5 years due to the inflation rate.
All transactions are required to be conducted through an intermediary who must be either a registered broker or is registered as a funding portal.
intermediaries that facilitate transactions between the issuers and the investors must provide certain information to investors and future investors.
The new rules proposed by the SEC are attempting to align the regulations of Section 4(a)(6) concerning transactions with the original concept of crowdfunding. The new rules would still require intermediaries to be present through all transactions but requires that all transactions be conducted through registered intermediaries on a website to make the offering more accessible to the general public. This would also allow members to share information and opinions about the transactions and intermediaries. Intermediaries would also have to provide some type of avenue of communication that provides information to those members of the crowd who potentially wish to fund a certain idea or business. Currently intermediaries must be registered as brokers, but the new proposed rules would allow them to organize the offer and sale of securities without registration. The proposed rules would require that certain information be provided to investors at various points concerning any offerings. This information should be made known through various electronic avenues such as filings with the Commission. Information required to be disclosed would include:
Information about any officer and director as well as any individual who carries more than 20 percent or more of the company
A business description as well as a description of the use of invested money from offerings
The price of securities being offered, the targeted offering amount, the deadline to reach set amount, and whether or not the business will accept more than the targeted investment amount.
The financial condition of the company
Companies would also be required to provide updates concerning the company's progress towards reaching the final offering amount.
The proposed rules will continue to allow individuals to invest subject into certain companies, and the amount of money that individuals could invest would still be limited to the stipulations put in place by the JOBS Act. There are certain companies that would not be eligible to use the crowd funding exemptions. These companies include those that are already SEC reporting companies, companies that are non- U.S., certain investment companies, and companies that have failed to follow the annual reporting requirement previously stated in the proposed rules.
SEO stands for search engine optimization. It is a big thing in the modern world of digital and inline marketing. Many times when people look for things on a search engine, they do not look past the first page of results. Therefore, marketing your product or website so that it will be the first thing the consumer sees is very important. "According to a study conducted at Cornell University, 80% of all clicks go to the top 3 listings." Even in writing for this blog post, most of my research came from the first page of results.
This field is important and growing in the present state of the 21st century. There are all types of websites involved in the business of optimizing your visibility on the web. There are even blogs and online forums that give businesses tips and tricks. Some act as consultants and are literally hired to help companies increase their visibility to get more traffic to their websites.
SEO improves the chances the site will be recognized by search engines such as Google, Yahoo, and Bing. This is extremely relevant to our most recent class about search engines. Though there are many, companies now want to make sure they are recognized by the most popular because of the lack of use by other search engines which have since lost massive amounts of business.
Class requirements;
1) Watch the pre-recorded class video about Google Search
2) Exam will begin Thursday September 25, 2014 until Sunday September 28, 2014 at midnight
Google search is the number one way people find information and data. However, most people do not understand or even know about the embedded tools within Google Search that allows a user to become more efficient.
Today's class will introduce you to some of these tools.
Imagine being the last person at your position on the depth chart of your football team. You are constantly over looked and people look at you as the weak link on the squad. However, with all of this in mind you decide to use it as motivation to work harder. Deep down you know that you are way more talented than what people around you are saying and you are determined to prove them wrong. Now, when you are not at practice you are in the weight room, if not the weight room you are watching film, if not film you are running and improving your wind. Some time goes by and you are starting to see all the improvements in your game. On the upcoming game day, the coaches have decided to switch things up to throw the opponent's game plan off, so you are in the starting lineup. This is the moment you have been grinding for and you know you are ready. The game starts and you go BEAST MODE! All of a sudden you have a starting spot and are considered a star. Every body wants your autograph, jersey, equipment and time. Nevertheless, the wonderful sensation of working toward your goal and knowing how far you came is an unparralled feeling. This feeling is known as gratification. Gratification is the pleasurable emotional reaction of happiness in response to a fulfillment of a desire or goal.
The most common forms of gratification are instant and delayed. Depending on which one of these lifestyles a person chooses to live they can live responsibly or deal with serious ramifications and struggles. Typically people have a "want it now" mindset that leads to trouble. So if after you become a star on the football team and you carry a "want it now" mindset you will find financial trouble in the near future. If you are not well educated it will be easy to get taken advantage of and fall in the trap of thinking your income will always be made of millions. Since you have worked hard and are on top in the game you are an easy target. People are going to want you to invest in their projects. People you grew up with will ask for loans that will never be returned. Some of your family is going to try and milk you for your money. In addition to that, many of the materialistic things you always wanted are obtainable so it could get addicting buying nice possessions. Instant gratification is a trap for the ignorant. Even people who make a large amount of money can set themselves up for bankruptcy if they are reckless with their funds. In fact, by the time they have been retired for 2 years, 78% of former NFL players have gone bankrupt or are under financial stress. Within five years of retirement, an estimated 60% of former NBA players "broke. This is a result of living beyond one's means and not being financially educated well enough. We cannot allow you be on the wrong side of those statistics. The easiest way to avoid this is to have a delayed gratification lifestyle.
Just because you are making big money in the league does not mean the money will always be there. You are one injury away from it all going away. There is much greater chance of gaining and maintaining wealth when you are patient. This is why delayed gratification leads to wealth, it's about saving money and being frugal. Being frugal allows a person to buy what they need without splurging all their money. If you are frugal, making all those big bucks playing football will allow you to like comfortably for a long time. Furthermore, it is not about being cheap, it is about being smart and cautious with your money. You do not have to eat at Benihana's every night just because you can afford it now. Last time I checked home cooked meals were still pretty good. It might not be flashy and that exciting but it will allow you to last financially. Unfortunately, in the society we live in most young people do not practice this behavior. There is so much emphasis on fame and glamour that it is very easy to fall into a trap of a "you only live once lifestyle" or "money, you can't take it with you." Education is the only way increase the number of people who practice delayed gratification. Go ahead and take care of your needs first, then make sure you have your savings set up. You can have some fun but make limits and know those limits. Remember, now that you are in the big league you can live like a king for a year or live like a prince forever.
If you do not want to harm someone, why not just take the bullets out of the gun instead of shooting them while they wear a bulletproof vest? A new form of birth control is coming forth, taking this approach, and changing the game. This new birth control product is called Vasalgel and is being developed by the Parsemus Foundation. Vasalgel brings a new spin on birth control by being something that a male would take as opposed to a female.
Vasalgel is a gel, as stated in the name, that will be injected a man's vas deferens, which are the ducts that transport sperm, and it will block sperm that try to pass through. Vasalgel only requires a single treatment to be effective for 10 years, and it can also flushed out through another injection if the man decides that he wants kids before 10 years are up. It is currently being tested on baboons, and after 6 months of monitoring, no baboon has yet to be pregnant. Small human trials are expected to begin next year and larger trials are expected to begin in 2016. If all goes as planned, Vasalgel should be on the market for any male to have performed on him in 2017.
With Vasalgel being a one time treatment, the days of counting on women to remember to take a pill are numbered. This, however, could also be detrimental to Vasalgel's progress towards hitting the market. Female birth control is a multibillion dollar industry and potential funders see it as more profitable to fund female birth control pills, which have to be bought every month, rather than a gel that only has to be injected once every 10 years. Regardless of which side a person stands on, this is certainly an innovative idea that not only changes men's health but women's health as well. Birth control pills have listed side effects of irregular bleeding, high blood pressure, and depression. Not only would women's health improve, but the number of unintended pregnancies would decline. About half of all pregnancies are unwanted and the percentage only increases as the age of the woman lowers. The cost of Vasalgel is currently unknown. The Parsemus Foundation is aiming to make it as inexpensive as possible and projects it to cost no more than a flat screen tv. They are also looking into it possibly being covered by insurance companies.
The concept of human life is a perplexing phenomenon that many individuals are unable to fully grasp due to its' many intricacies. We are plagued with a multitude of barriers which hinder our progression towards stellar achievement and outstanding resourcefulness. Based on perception, gratification and its' pursuit may be deemed a barrier by individuals who allow it to have such an impact of their lives. Gratification is defined by the Webster's dictionary as, "The act of gratifying; the state of being gratified". From the inception of life, man's primal instinct led him to be gratified in terms of seeking sustenance from the various forms of wildlife which surrounded him. In addition, man focused on seeking a mate in order to be sexually gratified and reproduce. Therefore, the pursuit of gratification has been woven into the mere seams of our existence for thousands of years.
We all enjoy the first bite of an expensive succulent filet mignon or a T-bone steak. However, there is a cost that is attached to the sheer enjoyment of fulfilling our desire for delectable items. The cost of an item is relative to an individual's standard of living which is contingent on one's level of income. The variance in income determines how big of a sacrifice purchasing the things you desire truly are. In addition, your level of income should also dictate your level of discipline relative to the pursuit of the two variations of gratification. Instant and delayed gratification are important concepts to grasp as a result of the bearing which they can have on one's life. Instant gratification is defined as, "The preference of selecting short term desires in place of long term goals and achievements". While delayed gratification refers to the skill of placing preference on long term goals and achievements instead of short term desires.
Although we have many examples of various icons and moguls who have fallen victim to living beyond their means and practicing instant gratification, we still fall victim to this apparent curse. Individuals who are unable to wisely allocate some portion of their income are often unable to meet their financial requirements such as various forms of billing. Those who are compensated on a Friday and have spent their entire paycheck before Monday before allocating anything towards saving or basic human requirements practice instant gratification. Experts say that human kind is wired to simply want things. We have fallen victim to a materialistic mindset governing our very existence.
There are advantages and disadvantages to both forms of gratification. Instant gratification enables one to achieve a temporary state of happiness as a result of fulfilling a desire. However, the consequence of making a rash decision is often more impactful and lasting that the simple joy of fulfillment. Delayed gratification may be seen as a struggle; however one is often able to well afford the many luxuries which were once deemed to the out of reach due to financial standing. The wonders of compounding interest and fixed rate investments can elevate one to a higher social class and enable one to secure a better life for your loved ones. Instant gratification has been made easier due to technological advancements which have granted individuals direct access to their bank accounts in the form of debit and credit cards. Those who can resist the temptation and practice delayed gratification will surely reap boundless rewards.
Amazon Prime is an innovative way that Amazon has created in order to reduce its shipping expenses which is about $4 billion a year. In order for them to fly these drones they must get approved by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which oversees and regulates all aspects of American space aviation. The company wants to get engaged in non-commercial operations involving flying their drones on their own property. Amazon plans to locate their air space facility away from any airport, heliport, spaceport or any other location where aviation activities are; and they plan on having these testing facilities away from military bases and largely populated cities. They are also planning on having strict security to their facilities in which no one other than amazon employees and invitees will be allowed to the site.
In their indoor labs, in Seattle, Amazon has created prototype after another to ensure that the newly automated vehicles are advanced enough for their likings. In just five months Amazon is on the ninth generation of their drone. Amazon Prime has progressed over time and now it has the ability to see obstacles and avoid collisions due to the sensors and algorisms added to the drone. The drones are battery powered, rotor based and can carry up to five pounds. Their plan is for the drone to fly 400 feet above ground level which is within class G airspace. Each drone will have an operator which is responsible for the operation of the drone. Each operator must hold a private pilot certificate and pass the private pilot course hosted by the FAA.
Geofencing will be equipped in the software of each drone in order to keep it in the 400 feet range so that the operator does not have to keep it within the testing range by themselves. Geofencing is a program that uses GPS which basically draws a barrier of how far the drone can go. They also plan on adding other features that will allow each drone to stop its operation and return to an Amazon location if its communication link is lost at any time. Similarly each operator will be equipped with a kill switch that allows them to shut down the drone if necessary. However if the FAA does not accept Amazon Prime, Amazon has already started planning on using their operations in the Canada area, which has accepted the use of drones.
