Internet of Things

So I just watched this video that was sent to me from Amazon about this new Dash Button. This thing is a business owners dream. I find it interesting to see if it connects to your wifi, how you keep it secure and what happens if you press the button twice. This is a short post, it's late and I might add more later, but please comment and let me know what you thing? Would you use this?

Amazon Dash Button

UltrAspire Io Product Review

                         

I recently had the opportunity to test a new product from local St. George running company UltrAspire. Their products range from small handheld water bottles, and waist belts all the way up to full hydration backpacks for long distance running and biking. Running in the cool winters and hot summers, key items need to be close at hand.  The product is called the Io (get it!) a minimalist waist pack that offers a lot more than meets the eye.

Patent-pending Max O2 Waist™ attachment system.

The Max O2 attachment is like nothing I have seen before. I personally think it is great design, ease of use and uniqueness. Basically it is a bungee system with a hook that gives a wide variety of size options. The Large will work on waist 30”-41” and still be comfortable. I am a 38 waist and the Io gave me more and faster adjustability that my main waist pack. The adjustability comes from a locking clip that the bungee slides into that stays secure. It had excess bungee and there is a nice loop to tuck in any extra.

Minimalist weight and design.

The Io weights in at .11 lbs with a decent sized mesh band in sizes small, medium, and large with a large zippered pocket. The Io can even hold an iPhone 6 thanks to its gusseted pocket. I hardly noticed the weight carrying my phone, keys, Gu, ID and other trinkets. In addition, there are reflective points front and back to add visibility and safety.

Additional thoughts.

If I could make one change in the design, it would be in the zipper pull. It has a unique red plastic pull that kind of sticks out and if doesn’t seem to fit with the rest of the design. Changing that pull to a smaller gray bungee pull similar to the Max O2 system would make the pull easier to grab, less likely to snag on a shirt and make a more cohesive design element.

I have really come to admire the products that have come from UltrAspire. I have seen them in action around Southern Utah, and can say they are a quality product. They focus on “comfort, fit, freedom of movement, function, and ease of access”. If you are running a race or taking a course that has water spots or dropped water, I would highly recommend this pack. On the other hand if you are running a cupless race, or going somewhere without water spots, I would go with something to ensure you stay hydrated. It is available at the St. George Running Center, located at 2736 E. Red Cliffs Dr. St. George or online at UltrAspire for under $30, that’s a bargain for a quality, easy to use product. 

Facebook Ad

My ad started just like every ad with a question. Who is my target market? I spent sometime playing around with this side of Facebook and I was really impressed. I almost feel like one of those hackers that spend time in the "Dark or Black" web. I think this because there is so much more under the surface than likes, links, and look at my cat/baby/outfit/food. So I started with the United States, then changed that to cover the western states. I did this because most of the runners that come to Southern Utah come here from a majority of these states. So offering something on a regional level seem like a good idea. I pick the average age of runners 20 to 60. If I actually do this ad, I will move the age up to 65, based on ages of Marathon runners. I know they are more experienced runners that would benefit from knowledge about St. George.

 I started adding the interest and they seeming to catch on fire. It seemed to going out of control with all the interest I was adding, but i felt justified adding them. Things like long-distance running, nutrition, physical exercise and weight loss. I added a section that focused on travelers and people that might be coming to the area and might enjoy a little fun run. I also tried to focus on people that weren't just running but also biking and outdoors things. this might be something that would beneficial as far was weather and hydration issues. Lastly I targeted to people that were friends of the friends that liked St. George Running Tips. I personally will like something if I have a personal friend that has liked it. So just random people that have no connections might not be receptive. This gives me a reach of 19,800 people.

I was giving the option use my own pictures or select stock pictures. I chose the latter, because i felt it added diversity for my ads. I picked 5 pictures other than my profile picture to be included in the ad. As you can see they all have running actors and elements, but having (I'm assuming) different photographers, it creates variety. My personal favorite is the group running shown from waist down. This is a common experience that most runners have, being elbow to elbow with strangers all united for a cause....Finish. I changed the text to target the heat aspect of running, as spring and summer approaches I know this will become a concern and factor. This gives you an idea about my ad.

Climate Controlled

Climate change, Global warming, freak weather patterns have become all the rage now that social media is the soapbox any Tom, Dick or Harry can get on and portray as being an "expert". Social Media, especially Twitter and Facebook, have been responsible for the constant barrage of outlandish stores of extreme heat and or cold. Recently a global warming protest was cancelled at Yale University because of the cold weather and snow. In Boston, the National Weather Service tweeted “Congratulations Boston!” for the 108.6 inches of snow the city received for the month of February. In 2014, an expert from the National Autonomous University of Mexico predicted that in about ten years the Earth will enter a “little ice age” which will last from 60 to 80 years and may be caused by the decrease in solar activity". These few examples seem to contradict the messages society receives about Global Warming

On the other side of the coin, global warming theorist continue to show scenes of killer dust storms, dried lake beds and rising temperatures to make us believe this hoax. In the state of California the "first half of 2014 was by far the hottest in 120 years of record-keeping, and that heat is exacerbating one of the most devastating droughts in state history". These rising temperatures cause wildfires, melting glaciers and raising ocean waters. Food production is decreased, plants die, creating a domino effect of less Carbon Dioxide being created by these plants, As these plants die, it promotes erosion, standing waters after flood events and the perfect breeding ground for insect carrying illness and disease.

What really is going on with our crazy planet? Are we the cause? Who is to blame? The biggest barrier that keeps this idea of global warming alive and growing is the mixed messages that we are receiving. Because there are so many theories, ideas, and examples, it is easy for people to get bored, apathetic and just accept the fact that maybe, just maybe this is one big hoax. I mean, if scientist can’t all agree, who am I to talk? This kind of think will only allow the problem to persist.

* views given are not those of the author.

Social Media Project Ideas

I have three different ideas that could fit for this project.

1. NBC newscaster Bryan Williams and the loss of credibility of news anchors and news stations.
2. Tesla Motors and the National Automobile Dealers Association battles for sales dealerships.
3. Jeremy Clarkson of Top Gear and the influence of Online Petitions.

These ideas all have been focuses in social media.

Senior Capstone

Hello fellow classmates,

I hope your spring break was exciting. I am in need of your help for my senior capstone project. I am doing research about Facebook Privacy and would like you all to take my survey. This is only for students 18 years and older. There is the typical Consent form and then the survey. It should take about 5 minutes. Thank you for your time and willingness to help a fellow student. Click this Link to go directly to the survey. Also the address is http://tinyurl.com/ktq6qnk

Mikey Nelson

Data Points 2.0

So I was looking at this site from Strava, a cycling and running GPS tracker that recently took the data points of their users and created a "heat map" of popular routes that have been used in the area.  As of the last update, more than 41.5 million runs were represented on the Global Heat map, In addition to showing you where to run, the information also makes it possible to see how popular various roads and routes are among runners who use Strava. In their words "160 million rides and runs totaling 375 billion data points, a fraction of all Strava activities".

As I looked at the local map of southern Utah and saw two common trails. The map gives you the option to toggle between "Run", "Bike", or "Both". As I toggled between the two I could see the St. George Marathon route, LIGHT up solid blue. On the other screen I could see the Iron Man course for the riders that loop around Gunlock/Veyo, around Sand Hollow and also the Green Valley Loop. This data is taken from uses who probably didn’t know that their personal routes, favorite secret spots that only they track on their private device is now being able to be seen by any and all users and the general public. 

Just gives you something to think about as you plan your next run, bike ride or use your personal GPS. 

Here are the Links to the article

http://www.runnersworld.com/general-interest/stravas-heat-map-reveals-where-runners-are?cid=social41570616&adbid=10152642507316987&adbpl=fb&adbpr=9815486986

And the link to the actual map

http://labs.strava.com/heatmap/#11/-113.62052/37.26261/blue/run

                

Sex X.oooh.

This has been an interesting conversation about sex, porn, and the idea of beauty in our society. I will preface this by saying I will try to be as natural on the topic as possible. It seems to be a touchy subject with most people in our local community, so I won’t rock the boat...too much. 

The sexualization of our society has been one that has evolved with the advances in technology and is turning a taboo topic into a creature that is hard to destroy. What I mean by that can been seen in the way that movies and TV shows in the 1950s-60s' wouldn’t even show married couples in the same bed. I love Lucy is a classic example of this taboo idea that, heaven forbid, husbands and wives copulate. But today, on almost every TV show on almost every TV station, there is sex and the idea of sex being bombarded into our houses. Discovery Channel has the show "Naked and Afraid', TLC has "Sister Wives", and History channel has "Vikings". These are television stations that have typically been an information gathering channel has turned to, al some times, low-culture viewing. 

Now low-culture viewing has really hit rock bottom in the objectification, oversexualization and objectification of both men and women. These shows are popping up on every station and now comes to life on the cellphone that your 12 son carries to school in his pocket. 

That culture is now being spread to adolescents, where recently over 100 students were involved in a "sexting "ring in Virginia, apps like snapchat that destroys nudes that teens send, and even secrets decoy apps that are designed to trick parents to the actual use of the app. 

But on the other hand, this "ideal" image of what is sexy to a man is all created in order to create money. Makeup, high heels, breast implants, thong panties, are some of the COUNTLESS ways women are exploited to make money. They are given unrealistic expectations of what "beauty" is. I have seen PLENTY of classmates get boob jobs for their graduation presents or their 18th birthdays. Beauty to me is confidence, personality, loyalty, honesty, intelligence, smiles, a warm heart and love. I know that may sound cheesy, but I have met some physically attractive females with an ugly personality that have stayed ugly to me. As an older man, I have been around the block a few times to know that looks fade, but personality stays once all that superficial B.S. is gone. If she can make me laugh, poke fun at and with me, gets my weirdness that is a win in my book.