You might be aware of the home security system that Amazon sells called “Ring.” The system allows you to install cameras, doorbells, etc., all of which can be viewed and controlled from your cell phone / tablet / computer.
We are not huge fans of the system as it is known to have data tie-ins with local police where the data from your cameras is uploaded to Amazon servers in the cloud, and be accessed by police. While there may be benefits to the police getting access to security cameras, there is a difference between getting access via permission from the homeowner and having access without the homeowner’s input.
Ring has allegedly stopped allowing police unfettered access to the camera data, but people are skeptical. Amazon did not develop the technology for police access only to say “sorry….our bad.”
Yet privacy concerns are not the point of this post.
At an invitation only event, Amazon introduced a new component to the Ring system that includes a flying, self autonomous drone for inside your home.
A Mark IV Female – D51 Deborah, was excavated at the village of Flesquieres in France, in 1999. It had been knocked out by shell-fire at the Battle of Cambrai 1917 and subsequently buried when used to fill a crater. Badly damaged and corroded when rediscovered, Deborah has been stabilised and is now housed in a small museum at Flesquieres, close to the graves of members of the crew.
The Mark IV was a beast. It could not move faster than the walking speed which made it vulnerable to both indirect and direct fire. Moreover, it was incredible loud for the crew as the engine the main guns and machine guns were all inside the crew compartment.
It is therefore somewhat poignant that “Deborah” was reunited with her crew. She deserved a better fate than being used to fill in a crater.
A fifth grader in an Orange County school has been told he cannot wear a mask from one of his families favorite restaurants, which happens to be Hooters.
Windermere, Fla. — Greg Golba and his son, Ian, don’t understand why the 11-year-old had to remove his Hooters mask at school on Tuesday.
“I don’t think it’s offensive at all, it’s just a restaurant,” said Ian, whose teacher at Sunset Park Elementary School in Windermere said something about it.
“I wore it and she said it was not appropriate for school,” Ian said. “I asked her why, and she said if you really want to know why go ask the principal.”
When Ian went to the principal’s office, he was asked to remove the mask again.
“He told me to take it off three times and I asked him why, and he said just take it off,” Ian said.
When the father called the school, he was told: (more…)
Randy Fine and the City of Palm Bay are involved in a fight over a good deed.
Fine, who is running for reelection to the Florida House, has been helping organize food give-a-ways for people in the Palm Bay area along side a group known as Farm Share, which helps distribute farm produce to needy people and families rather than letting the produce go to waste.
While we support the effort, in many ways we have seen this as a campaign event for Fine far more than we would like. Most people grew up being taught that you help others with humility and without calling attention to yourself.
Politicians can’t seem to do that and Fine is no exception.
However, according to Fine, the City of Palm Bay, specifically the Acting City Manager Suzanne Sherman, Mayor William Capote, and Deputy Mayor Kenny Johnson aren’t thrilled with the idea of helping others:
Teachers sometimes have a very rough job. Yet we think that there are times when teachers have to do something, like writing notes to parents, while laughing inside.
This is one of those notes from a teacher to a kid’s parents.
Our good buddy and Mayor of Palm Bay, William Capote was at it again at the last City Council meeting, demonstrating that rules and laws are for other people.
The meeting can be viewed here if you want to download it and watch.
The agenda had several consent items that were pulled from the consent agenda, including item sixteen, which read:
16. Consideration of utilizing Parks Impact Fees ($997,473), Tourist Development Council grant funds ($1,700,000), and Fund Balance Reserves ($558,492) for Phase I construction of the Fred Poppe Regional Park campground.
Demontea Chappell is a 20 year old male who has allegedly committed one of the most wretched, morally bankrupt and horrible crimes we have heard of in a long time. (We have to say “allegedly” because this scum-bucket is still on the run and has not been convicted even though there is a video showing him committing the crime.)
A military veteran who died of a heart attack while onboard a GRTC [Greater Richmond Transit Company] bus was robbed while unconscious. Several bus riders jumped in to help the man but ultimately got off the bus — with the exception of one.
Police say 20-year-old Demontea Chappell, stayed behind under the guise of giving aid but was seen on camera taking the man’s wallet.
A video reveals the heartbreaking details. (more…)
Lincoln Nebraska resident Andrew Christensen appeared before the City Council to speak on a first world problem.
“I propose that we as a city remove the name boneless wings from our menus and from our hearts. These are our reasons why: Number one, nothing about boneless chicken wings actually come from the wing of a chicken. We would be disgusted if a butcher was mislabeling their cuts of meats, but then we go around pretending as though the breast of a chicken is its wing?” said Christensen. (more…)
