Apr 28, 2017
Routers and Modems
Routers and modems perform different functions. Modems connect
to the Internet and (MOdulate and DEModulate) the incoming
signals and routers send/route wired (Ethernet) and wireless
traffic around the house. Most home boxes contain both a modem
and router and, because of this the terms are often used
interchangeably.
Internet Speed
Here is a look as the average internet speed for selected
countries. Interesting stuff.
Older is Better
Research has shown getting older could also mean getting
happier. During 2016, research from the UK Office for National
Statistics concluded the most joyful age bracket was 65-79.
The survey looked at more than 300,000 adults across the UK and found life satisfaction peaked at that age before declining over 80. However, those in their 40s were shown to be less happy and with the highest levels of anxiety.
In a blog post on Psychology Today, Dr. Romeo Vitelli says that happiness can be a tricky thing to define. It can mean the kind of joy that only occurs at key moments in our lives, or it can simply be the amount of positive emotion we happen to feel at any given time. There appears to be an upswing as we get older.
A United States research project found happiness was relatively stable for people in their mid-20s to late 30s, then it declined during the 40s and slowly rose to a peak from 60 to 69 years old.
It is all relative, and there is no set rule for how happy anyone will be at certain times in life. I believe, regardless of age, you can be as happy as you choose to be.
The survey looked at more than 300,000 adults across the UK and found life satisfaction peaked at that age before declining over 80. However, those in their 40s were shown to be less happy and with the highest levels of anxiety.
In a blog post on Psychology Today, Dr. Romeo Vitelli says that happiness can be a tricky thing to define. It can mean the kind of joy that only occurs at key moments in our lives, or it can simply be the amount of positive emotion we happen to feel at any given time. There appears to be an upswing as we get older.
A United States research project found happiness was relatively stable for people in their mid-20s to late 30s, then it declined during the 40s and slowly rose to a peak from 60 to 69 years old.
It is all relative, and there is no set rule for how happy anyone will be at certain times in life. I believe, regardless of age, you can be as happy as you choose to be.
Need to Read
We just passed World Book Day and it reminded me of the pleasure
of reading. In fact, reading is the cheapest and easiest form of
intellectual pleasure. TV and movies may be fun, but
are rarely intellectual.
There are various ways in which pleasures may be derived. It may be the pleasures of eating delicious food, listening to music, sitting in the cool shade of a tree and enjoying the beauty of nature, inhaling the perfume of flowers, or simply delighting in the soft touch of petals. These, basically, are pleasures of the senses.
Reading, however, is an Intellectual Pleasure and should be nurtured from an early age. Learning the truths of science or philosophy is also a form of intellectual pleasure.
There are various elements that make reading a pleasure. The reader may appreciate the style of the author, the language skills used in expressing ideas, or the arrangement of ideas. Logical sequence of thoughts or the thoughts themselves may also be appealing. The pleasures of reading are truly inexhaustible as there are a variety of books, essays, novels, dramas, sagas, poems, and speeches.
The sages of old recommend that whenever you feel dejected, depressed and under the weather, get into the company of great authors and read their books. Books can be your never failing friends and they can never get you into trouble.
Reading improves your vocabulary and enhances your imagination. The more you read, the more knowledgeable you become. With more knowledge comes more confidence and confidence builds self-esteem. Reading widens your horizons. Finally, reading exercises your memory muscles. I hope my blog and my books provide fodder for great conversations.
There are various ways in which pleasures may be derived. It may be the pleasures of eating delicious food, listening to music, sitting in the cool shade of a tree and enjoying the beauty of nature, inhaling the perfume of flowers, or simply delighting in the soft touch of petals. These, basically, are pleasures of the senses.
Reading, however, is an Intellectual Pleasure and should be nurtured from an early age. Learning the truths of science or philosophy is also a form of intellectual pleasure.
There are various elements that make reading a pleasure. The reader may appreciate the style of the author, the language skills used in expressing ideas, or the arrangement of ideas. Logical sequence of thoughts or the thoughts themselves may also be appealing. The pleasures of reading are truly inexhaustible as there are a variety of books, essays, novels, dramas, sagas, poems, and speeches.
The sages of old recommend that whenever you feel dejected, depressed and under the weather, get into the company of great authors and read their books. Books can be your never failing friends and they can never get you into trouble.
Reading improves your vocabulary and enhances your imagination. The more you read, the more knowledgeable you become. With more knowledge comes more confidence and confidence builds self-esteem. Reading widens your horizons. Finally, reading exercises your memory muscles. I hope my blog and my books provide fodder for great conversations.
Apr 21, 2017
Happy Friday
You can't find a recipe
for happiness on the web.
My recipe includes a good mix of laughter, joy, and smiles spread on a Happy Friday!
My recipe includes a good mix of laughter, joy, and smiles spread on a Happy Friday!
National Pig in a Blanket Day
April 24th is National Pig in a Blanket
Day. Pig in a blanket is a humble dish enjoyed throughout the
world.
National Pretzel Day
April 26 was declared National Pretzel Day during 2003.
This year there are a few places that serve free pretzels. Click
on this LINK
to find out where.
Wordology, MacGuffin
A MacGuffin is an object, event, or person that the characters
in a story value greatly. Almost the whole plot revolves around
it, even though the thing itself isn’t actually important to the
unfolding story. The most common type of MacGuffin is a person,
place, or thing, such as money or an object of value.
Think of the falcon in the Maltese Falcon movie. The black falcon statuette, called the “Maltese Falcon” is the MacGuffin in the movie and the plot revolves around ownership and finding it. The Rabbit's Foot in Mission: Impossible III is a modern MacGuffin.
Scenario editor Angus MacPhail established the term MacGuffin for the unknown plot objective which you did not need to choose until the story planning was complete. Some say it comes from the word guff, which is defined as meaning nonsense and MacPhail added Mac from his name to the front of it. Alfred Hitchcock adopted and used the word to the end of his career.
Think of the falcon in the Maltese Falcon movie. The black falcon statuette, called the “Maltese Falcon” is the MacGuffin in the movie and the plot revolves around ownership and finding it. The Rabbit's Foot in Mission: Impossible III is a modern MacGuffin.
Scenario editor Angus MacPhail established the term MacGuffin for the unknown plot objective which you did not need to choose until the story planning was complete. Some say it comes from the word guff, which is defined as meaning nonsense and MacPhail added Mac from his name to the front of it. Alfred Hitchcock adopted and used the word to the end of his career.
3D Printed Shoes
Adidas announced it is partnering with a 3D printing company
to mass-produce a line of shoes with 3D printed mid-sole
cushions. It plans to make 5,000 pairs by the end of the 2017,
and up to 100,000 pairs during 2018. Adidas plans a single
design to test the tech, but wants to eventually customize each
shoe to fit the unique contours of a person’s foot.
Incidentally, Nike, Under Armour, and New Balance also have their own 3D printed shoe projects.
Incidentally, Nike, Under Armour, and New Balance also have their own 3D printed shoe projects.
Uninsured vs. Insured
Did a comparison on the number of US uninsured
vs. insured between 2007 (before Affordable Care Act) and 2016.
Medicare and Medicaid added 18.7 million more people than the
uninsured reduction.
In addition, this does not count the number of insured, whose premiums are being subsidized by the Affordable Care Act.
As the chart shows, Uninsured dropped by 18.4 million people. However, the number of people covered by Medicaid and Medicare increased by 37.1 million during the same period. Medicaid, alone added 5.7 million more people than were dropped from the uninsured rolls. At the same time, Medicare added an additional 13 million people.
Bottom line, the pea shuffle of uninsured numbers looks like all is well, except the rest of us are paying more for Medicaid, more for Medicare, more for subsidies to cover insurance for the poor - and more for increases in the cost of our own health insurance.
In addition, this does not count the number of insured, whose premiums are being subsidized by the Affordable Care Act.
As the chart shows, Uninsured dropped by 18.4 million people. However, the number of people covered by Medicaid and Medicare increased by 37.1 million during the same period. Medicaid, alone added 5.7 million more people than were dropped from the uninsured rolls. At the same time, Medicare added an additional 13 million people.
Bottom line, the pea shuffle of uninsured numbers looks like all is well, except the rest of us are paying more for Medicaid, more for Medicare, more for subsidies to cover insurance for the poor - and more for increases in the cost of our own health insurance.
Eliminate Nasty Paint Smells
Add one tablespoon of imitation vanilla
extract per quart of freshly-opened paint and mix thoroughly
until well-incorporated. Your family will appreciate the fresh
smell.
Russia and US Border
The news media usually fails to mention that Russia and the US
share a border. There is no wall and not much traffic of
refugees trying to pass illegally.
The Russia / United States maritime boundary follows the June 1, 1990 USA/USSR Maritime Boundary Agreement, but it has yet to be approved by the Russian parliament. The United States Senate gave its consent to ratification on September 16, 1991.
Two islands, Little Diomede, US and Big Diomede, Russia lie between Russia and the United States. The islands are only 35 km away from both Chukotka, Russia and Alaska, US. Because the international Date Line runs between them, the time difference between them is about 21 hours.
Incidentally, Russia's Eastern border is with China.
The Russia / United States maritime boundary follows the June 1, 1990 USA/USSR Maritime Boundary Agreement, but it has yet to be approved by the Russian parliament. The United States Senate gave its consent to ratification on September 16, 1991.
Two islands, Little Diomede, US and Big Diomede, Russia lie between Russia and the United States. The islands are only 35 km away from both Chukotka, Russia and Alaska, US. Because the international Date Line runs between them, the time difference between them is about 21 hours.
Incidentally, Russia's Eastern border is with China.
International Space Station Facts
The International Space Station if reduced
to two dimensions is roughly the size of a soccer pitch, at
about 73 meters (239 feet) in length and 109 meters (356 feet)
in width. It orbits the Earth at an altitude of 330 to 435 km
(205 to 270 miles).
Incidentally, In 2001, Pizza Hut paid the Russian space agency $1 million to send a pizza to the ISS, Including a Pizza Hut logo on a Soyuz rocket and a video of a cosmonaut Yuri Usachov giving a thumbs up after eating some of the pizza. The space pizza, per the BBC, “spending a long time in space has the effect of deadening the taste buds, so extra salt and spices were added to the pizza and salami had to be used as pepperoni lacked the necessary shelf life, growing moldy.”
Incidentally, In 2001, Pizza Hut paid the Russian space agency $1 million to send a pizza to the ISS, Including a Pizza Hut logo on a Soyuz rocket and a video of a cosmonaut Yuri Usachov giving a thumbs up after eating some of the pizza. The space pizza, per the BBC, “spending a long time in space has the effect of deadening the taste buds, so extra salt and spices were added to the pizza and salami had to be used as pepperoni lacked the necessary shelf life, growing moldy.”
WiFi vs. Plugged In Speeds
Each Wi-Fi standard is rated according to its
maximum theoretical network bandwidth. The newest, 802.11ac
offers up to 1 Gbps (1,000 Mbps). However, the performance of
Wi-Fi networks practically never approach these theoretical
maximums, usually performing at about half of peak speed. If you
compare 300 Mbps WiFi to wired Fast Ethernet at 100 Mbps, the
Ethernet connection most often outperforms in real world usage.
Wi-Fi networks have a range that is limited by the transmission power, antenna type, the location, physical obstacles, such as walls, number of other devices sharing the signal, and the environment. A typical indoor wireless router might have a solid range of about 32 meters (105 ft). Distance from the source also degrades performance. The fastest theoretical WiFi 802.11 ac is maximum speed of 866.7 Mb/s.
Plugged in (Ethernet) offers advantages, such as faster speeds, lower latency, and no wireless interference problems. A wired Ethernet connection can theoretically offer up to 10 Gb/s.
Bottom line, when it comes to speed necessary for streaming movies and TV WiFi may be more convenient, but is much slower and may cause delays and hesitations. Also, when looking at your speed, consider 10Mbs as the absolute minimum for streaming - and more is better.
Incidentally, no matter how fast your WiFi is within your house, it does not increase the speed of the connection between your house and the Internet.
Wi-Fi networks have a range that is limited by the transmission power, antenna type, the location, physical obstacles, such as walls, number of other devices sharing the signal, and the environment. A typical indoor wireless router might have a solid range of about 32 meters (105 ft). Distance from the source also degrades performance. The fastest theoretical WiFi 802.11 ac is maximum speed of 866.7 Mb/s.
Plugged in (Ethernet) offers advantages, such as faster speeds, lower latency, and no wireless interference problems. A wired Ethernet connection can theoretically offer up to 10 Gb/s.
Bottom line, when it comes to speed necessary for streaming movies and TV WiFi may be more convenient, but is much slower and may cause delays and hesitations. Also, when looking at your speed, consider 10Mbs as the absolute minimum for streaming - and more is better.
Incidentally, no matter how fast your WiFi is within your house, it does not increase the speed of the connection between your house and the Internet.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)