Voice input to control computers and a
variety of IoT devices is becoming more prevalent and has been
increasing since the technology has finally caught up with
interpretation of a variety of voices, dialects, and accents.
This is a great benefit to the estimated 781 million adults over
the age of 15 who are illiterate. People who cannot read finally
have easier access to the internet, typing, and information
through smart devices, such as Amazon's Alexa, Google, Cortanna,
Siri, and Bixby. There are hundreds of apps that let users
search, write emails, take notes and set appointments with their
smartphone. Amazon says more than 1.8 million e-books support
audio books, which automatically read aloud the words on the
page.
Predictions abound -
- “50% of all
searches will be voice searches by 2020” according to
comscore
- “About 30% of
searches will be done without a screen by 2020.” according
to Mediapos
- “We estimate there
will be 21.4 million smart speakers in the US by 2020”
according to Activate
- “By 2019, the
voice recognition market will be a $601 million industry”,
according to a report from Technavio.
- “This year (2017),
25 million devices will be shipped, bringing the total
number of voice-first devices to 33 million in circulation.”
based on a new study by VoiceLabs
- “By the end of
2018 the Google Assistant will reach 95 percent of all
eligible Android phones worldwide” according to Techcrunch.
Each day is not an
occurrence, it is an opportunity.
Take advantage of the opportunity to be happy on a Happy
Friday!
If you need a manual for almost anything in your house, you can
go to https://www.manualslib.com/
and likely find it. It has manuals online that cover almost
two million products with 2,832,546 pdf manuals.
Just enter the keywords
in the search field and find what you are looking for. Search
results include manual name, description, size and number of
pages. You can either read manual online or download it to your
computer.
You may have noticed some items on Amazon have the text
'Amazon's Choice' next to the description. It means that many
buyers have purchased and were satisfied with it, as told to
Amazon through reviews data, is highly rated, well-priced, and
available to ship immediately. It also means the item has a low
return rate and a best-seller ranking.
Stuck for a word that you know is on the tip of your tongue,
but just won't come out. Try http://www.onelook.com/reverse-dictionary.shtml
This site lets you describe a concept and get back a list of
words and phrases related to that concept. Your description can
be a single word, a few words, or a whole sentence. Type in your
description and hit Enter to see the related words. You can find
a word if you only know its definition.
The basic method of modern domestic almond
milk production is to grind almonds in a blender with water,
then strain out the almond pulp with a strainer. Although it is
made of nuts and water, it is called Almond milk, because it has
a milky white consistency. It contains neither cholesterol nor
lactose and an eight ounce glass contains the equivalent of
about 4 almonds. It has fewer calories if unsweetened and has no
saturated fat.
Even though almonds are a good source of protein, almond milk is
not. Almond milk is also not a good source of calcium unless
supplemented with calcium as well as vitamin D. It can also be
fortified with protein.
Rice Milk is made from milled rice and
water. It is the least allergenic, which makes it a good
choice for people with lactose or nut allergies. While rice
milk can be fortified with calcium and vitamin D, it is not a
natural source of either of these, just like soy and almond
are also not.
Rice milk is very high in carbohydrate and
very low in protein, so it is the least desirable choice for
people with diabetes as well as people who want more protein.
Soy Milk is made from
soybeans. It is also a popular milk alternative for vegans and
people who are lactose intolerant. Since it comes from plants,
it is naturally free of cholesterol, low in saturated fat, and
contains no lactose or cholesterol.
Soybeans and soy milk
are a good source of protein, calcium (when fortified), and
potassium. Soy milk contains almost as much protein as cow’s
milk, yet is lower in calories than whole milk. A 2008 Harvard
study showed that higher intakes of soy-based foods caused
fertility problems and lower sperm counts.
The terms have very similar meanings, but are not
interchangeable. Farther is taken more literal and refers to an
actual physical distance that can be measured, while further
explains a more symbolic distance that cannot be measured.
Some Examples: To further the conversation, he asked how much
farther it was the beach. She studied to further her education,
but she had to drive farther to get to school.
Zinc is one of the only ingredients linked to shortening a
cold. Unlike Vitamin C, which studies have found likely does
nothing to prevent or treat the common cold, zinc may actually
be worth it. The mineral seems to interfere with the replication
of rhinoviruses, the bugs that cause the common cold.
In a 2011 review of
studies of people who were recently sick, researchers looked at
those who started taking zinc and compared them with those who
took a placebo. The ones on the zinc had shorter colds and less
severe symptoms.
Many are under the false claim
that microwaving foods robs them of their nutrients. This is
false. Microwave ovens cook food using energy waves. The waves
cause molecules in food to vibrate quickly, building up their
energy as heat.
It is true that some nutrients begin to disintegrate when
heated, whether from a microwave, a stove. However, since
microwave-cooking times are typically much shorter than
oven-cooking times, microwaving often keeps vitamins more intact
than other cooking methods.
Smiles are free, but priceless gifts.
Share your priceless
smile, especially on a Happy Friday!
L.L.Bean is named after its founder, Leon
Leonwood Bean.
FIAT originally stood for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino,
which translates as "Italian automobile factory of Turin."
FAO Schwarz named after Frederick August Otto Schwarz founder of
the toy store
H & R block, the American tax preparation company in North
America, Australia, and India was founded by brothers Henry W.
Bloch and Richard Bloch. The brothers chose to spell the name
"Block" with a K to ensure the name is not mispronounced
"blotch."
Pam cooking spray comes
from Product of Arthur Meyerhoff, the founder of PAM Products,
Inc.
KLM is the abbreviation
of Koninklijke Luchtvaart Maatschappij (Royal Aviation Company)
Royal Dutch Airlines. During September 1919, Queen Wilhelmina
awarded the yet-to-be-founded KLM its "Royal" (Koninklijke)
status.
Bonus - Captcha, that
code you have to type in for security purposes stands for
Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and
Humans Apart. Interesting that it is a computer testing us
to prove we are human.
Understanding what the 'vein' is, adds to the
conversation. Vein is just a euphemism for the shrimp’s lower
digestive tract, meaning it is filled with shrimp poop. It will
not harm you, but it might taste a bit grainy.
Experts say you might not be able to taste the vein depending on
the shrimp’s size. Small and medium shrimp tend to have smaller
'veins' and do not need deveining except for cosmetics. For
larger ones it is usually a good idea to do it.
Last week the NOAA announced that April was the 400th month of
warmer than average temperature (and caused by us). The NOAA has
been tracking temperature since 1880 and reports it has been
getting warmer. Interesting that it corresponds directly to the
end of the Little Ice Age around 1860. During the Little Ice
Age, average global temperatures were 1-1.5 degree Celsius (2-3
degrees Fahrenheit) cooler than they are today.
The Little Ice Age followed the Medieval Warm Period also known
as the Medieval Climate Optimum, or Medieval Climatic Anomaly.
Scientists believe possible causes of the Medieval Warm Period
include increased solar activity, decreased volcanic activity,
and changes to ocean circulation.
As late as 2012, scientists still did not agree when the Little
Ice age specifically began or ended. Some believe 1300s
beginning and others believe 1600s. Most agree it ended in the
mid 1800s. A theory from 2012 reports that an unusual,
50-year-long episode of four massive tropical volcanic eruptions
triggered the Little Ice Age. Their results are in contrast to
the work of other scientists who contend that decreased
radiation from the sun is what caused the Little Ice Age.
Scientists mostly agree that the warm period was caused by less
volcanic activity and more solar activity. They also mostly
agree it was followed by the ice age, which was caused by more
volcanic activity and less solar activity.
They all agree that the earth has tilted on its axis over time
and there have been many periods of colder weather and many
periods of warmer weather on earth during the past millions of
years.
Scientists also all agree that mankind cannot control volcanoes,
the sun, or the earth tilting on its axis. What they cannot
agree on is whether this time climate change is our fault,
politics, or just another natural cycle of Mother Nature toying
with us.
A passport serves two
purposes: to regain entry to the country of citizenship (i.e.
the United States) and is a requirement by many countries to
gain entry to the country you are visiting.
A travel visa can be a stamp or sticker
placed by officials of a foreign country on a passport that
allows the bearer to visit that country.
Visas are obtained from the proper embassy
or local consulates of the country to be visited. Visit is
defined as the reason for entry, usually business, tourist or
transitory. There are over 270 countries that offer travel
visas and literally thousands of different types of visas
available based upon country, type of visit, and length of
visit. A travel visa is an official government document that
temporarily authorizes you to be in the country you are
visiting. There are about 185 different types of visas.
There are two main
categories of US visas: Non-immigrant visa - for temporary
visits such as for tourism, business, work, visiting family, or
studying. Immigrant visa - for people to immigrate to the United
States.