Businesspeople, students, kids, seniors – these days, everyone has a mobile phone. But phones are designed to suit different lifestyles and personalities, so you need to do your research and compare wireless phones before making your purchase.
Not sure where to start? Here are some tips to help you find a cell phone that you’ll love:
It’s a fact: Children today are surrounded by all types of digital media from a very young age. Educators, parents and caregivers are left with the task of navigating through a multitude of handheld games, toys and online resources while debating the value of these different options.
Fortunately, research shows that computers can play a positive role in the education of children. Benefits include language, literacy and social development as well as the improvement of important problem-solving skills.
Experts and researchers in early childhood development offer the following guidelines for computer use by youngsters:
Medical professionals, missionaries and other volunteer organizations work to bring emergency relief to natural disaster and poverty victims. But other career fields can provide aid as well. For example, engineers often build emergency shelters and design sustainable technology to provide assistance and hope throughout the developing world.
Humanitarian engineering is defined as “design under constraints to directly improve the well being of underserved populations.” It has roots dating back to the French Revolution, when a group of engineers at the Ecole Polytechnic decided to use their technical skills to work for social justice.
 NewsUSA) – Humanitarian outreach to the victims of natural disasters and poverty oftentimes includes the work of medical professionals, missionaries and other volunteer organizations in an effort to bring emergency relief, aid and comfort. Now, engineers are responding to the growing need to serve in humanitarian roles, building emergency shelters and designing sustainable technology systems to provide assistance and hope in many areas of the developing world.
Humanitarian engineering has come to be defined as “design under constraints to directly improve the wellbeing of underserved populations.” It has roots dating back to the French Revolution, when a group of engineers at the Ecole Polytechnic debunked Napoleon’s military aims and sought instead to employ their technical skills to work for social justice. More than 200 years later, engineers remain dedicated to helping those in need. Today’s socially conscious engineers, particularly students, are working on the scene in underdeveloped communities around the world, to help create a new future for those at the bottom of the economic pyramid. For example, seven engineering students at Dartmouth College recently visited the village of Banda, Rwanda, to design and build a small-scale hydropower system to provide lighting for local residents. After the system was installed, the students trained the villagers on its operations and sustainable maintenance. Recently, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) created a Web-based open-source project hosted by Western Kentucky University, in which engineers and engineering students collaborated on the design of a human-powered water purifier for use in remote regions of the developing world and locations affected by natural disasters and other catastrophes. ASME is a partner with the group Engineers Without Borders-USA, which operates more than 400 projects in water treatment, renewable energy and sanitation in about 45 developing countries worldwide. Academic institutions, such as Valparaiso University in Indiana and the Colorado School of Mines, are teaching the value of the engineers’ worth to society by establishing a humanitarian engineering minor within the core curriculum. At ASME, a good mechanical engineer is many things, among them a public servant. Going forward, ASME will encourage engineers to use their skills and expertise to create lasting solutions to improve the quality of life of individuals and communities in need. For information about ASME, visit www.asme.org. |
 NewsUSA) – Today’s technology allows us to stay in touch with extended networks of people -; but it comes with a downside. The more time we spend surfing the Web, tweeting or updating Facebook, the less time we spend with those closest to us.
Among the thousands of people I’ve taught, I often hear people complain they have a hard time connecting with their spouses and kids. Yet, I’ll bet many of them are well connected in Internet chat groups. It is important to recognize whether technology is keeping you away from your family and friends. If you really have a problem regulating your use of technology, it helps to understand why you might turn to technology for fulfillment. Do you feel like you are automatically turning on whatever electronic medium soothes you? This may be a sign that you have succumbed to what is known as the “iago trance” – a naturally occurring state of mind that lulls you into unconsciousness. Huna, the ancient Hawaiian system of consciousness that I teach and practice, gives us tools to stay connected with the moment and the world around us. If technology is interfering with your real-world relationships, cut out screen time and do activities that keep you out of the trance. Here are some tips: * Ask yourself whether technology is stopping you from meeting goals. At the end of the day, do you say, “I wish I had more time to work out, meditate, play with my kids or connect with my spouse”? * Make a list of things that prevent you from being connected to your friends, family and loved ones, and pick one that you’re going to cut out. * If a particular technology has you hooked, try cutting it out for a week to see what difference it makes in your life. Ask yourself whether you’re using it the way you originally intended, or is it keeping you in iago trance? * Lay down boundaries for yourself and your family. For instance, try keeping your Facebook page very private and not just “friending” anyone. * Find other “unplugged” ways to reduce stress, such as spending a few minutes outdoors in the fresh air or quietly in meditation or prayer. I’d rather tell my wife good morning than tell the people on Facebook I just woke up. How about you? Matthew B. James, Ph.D., is president of Kona University. His new book, “The Foundation of Huna: Ancient Wisdom for Modern Times” details forgiveness and meditation techniques used in Hawaii for hundreds of years. To reach Dr. James, please e-mail him at info@Huna.com. |
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Many assume that those Americans who are tweeting, updating Facebook profiles and uploading YouTube videos are in their teens. But when it comes to social networking, it’s not teens, but their parents who are driving growth.
According to the Pew Internet & American Life Project’s 2008 tracking survey, the number of adults with online profiles more than quadrupled after 2005. In fact, more adults use social networking sites than teens.
But adults who indulge in chatting, tweeting and updating their Facebook status at work might find themselves without a job. While many employers allow workers to participate on social networking sites (especially to make business connections), others have formed strict policies against LinkedIn, Facebook, MySpace, Digg, Twitter and similar sites.
And don’t think that employees can simply tweet on the sly. Many businesses are now using employee-monitoring software products, such as Spector CNE Investigator (www.spectorcne.com), to quickly and easily determine who’s goofing off, leaking company information, surfing Web sites or making off-topic Google searches. The software records all instant messages, chat conversations, e-mails, Web sites visited, programs run, files downloaded, files copied to removable media, and keystrokes typed. In addition, Spector CNE Investigator takes screen snapshots, so employers can watch their employees’ online activities in the sequence that they were performed.
While outright bans may seem harsh, employees should do work while at work — few employers want to pay workers to play online games or update their Facebook status. And yet, according to a survey conducted by an IT research firm, Nucleus Research, 77 percent of the employees with Facebook accounts check them during business hours, with 87 percent having no work-related reason for doing so.
Some studies suggest that social networking may improve productivity, so long as visits remain brief and account for less than 20 percent of an employee’s worktime. But no one wants to lose their job because they can’t stay away from Twitter.
Employees with a social networking problem might want to set strict limits for themselves, like restricting Facebook time to 10 minutes a day. If employees are using it for more than an appropriate amount of time, employers will know it if they are monitoring social network usage with Spector CNE.
You rush to get your children to their football game only to find out that it’s been canceled. Why weren’t you notified in advance?
When sports and recreation directors make last-minute schedule changes, such as canceling a game due to inclement weather or having to change practice times, they may have to inform several people at the same time. But with limited time to spread the word to players, parents, coaches and officials, some people may miss out.
Fortunately, this doesn’t have to be the case. From elementary school to college, many schools and sports and recreation organizations are adopting an innovative new communication system called the Immediate Response Information System, or IRIS.
 NewsUSA) – If you, your family members or anyone with whom you do business shares music, photos, or documents online, identity thieves could be downloading your information — including your Social Security number, home address and health information — legally.
In any given second, nearly 22 million people around the globe are on peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing networks, where they download and swap movies, software and documents over the Internet. But users of file-sharing networks can expose the contents of entire hard drives to everyone else on the network. In April 2009, the Today Show found 25,800 student loan applications, over 150,000 tax returns and nearly 626,000 credit reports, just by searching P2P networks. Antivirus software protects your computer from viruses, but it can’t stop thieves from accessing your computer if you’ve given them permission via P2P file-sharing networks. And while you can stop using P2P networks, you can’t control others — your doctor or the teller at your bank could be file-sharing without your knowledge. The Federal Trade Commission recently warned nearly 100 organizations, including companies, schools and local governments, that they had leaked their customers’ and employees’ personal information onto online file-sharing networks. The information found included Social Security numbers, health information and drivers’ licenses — more than enough information for any identity thief to steal your identity. What can help put a stop to these online data breaches? The LifeLock Personal Breach Detection Service actively searches file-sharing networks worldwide for your personal information. When a leak is detected, LifeLock alerts you with specific details and then takes action to help you shut down the breach of information. LifeLock also alerts you to other potential identity threats, patrols over 10,000 criminal Web sites for illegal selling of your information, helps cancel or replace the contents of your stolen wallet (cash, pictures, and other monies excluded) and so much more — giving you the peace of mind that your good name is protected. For more information, visit www.LifeLock.com/p2p. |
When a major storm is forecast to arrive in your town, proper preparation is vital for staying safe and protecting your property. But despite the significant damage that can be caused by hurricanes and other severe storms, many citizens still fail to adequately prepare themselves.
According to a poll by the American Red Cross, 60 percent of Americans have made no specific hurricane evacuation plans and 73 percent have not practiced a family disaster plan.
But make no mistake: Preparedness is key to weathering the worst natural disasters. Keep the following tips in mind the next time a major storm is on its way:
