5 Fashion And Beauty Apps That'll Add Time Back To Your Day

You probably made a few New Year's resolutions for 2016, but one that should be on everyone's list is to make time to relax and recharge.

Technology, ancient and modern, can help buildings survive quakes

TOKYO —

Shocking images of a Taiwan apartment complex felled like a tree by a magnitude 6.4 earthquake have highlighted what is needed to build a structure that can withstand seismic shocks.
Like Taiwan, Japan is quake-prone—it suffers about a fifth of the world’s most powerful tremors. It has used a mix of ancient and modern technologies to make its buildings increasingly quake-proof.
Lessons have been consistently learnt and building standards subsequently raised in the wake of deadly disasters such as the 1995 Kobe earthquake, which killed 6,434 people.
When a massive 9.0 magnitude earthquake struck off northeastern Japan on March 11, 2011, the shaking in Tokyo was violent.
But buildings—including the nearly complete 634-meter Tokyo Skytree tower and other skyscrapers—survived intact.
Here is a look at advanced technologies that Japan uses to protect its buildings:
Resisting the force of a tremor is the most conventional way to protect structures from earthquakes.
That means basically reinforcing the walls and supporting columns. One often-seen example is strengthening bridges by wrapping their support columns with steel frames.

Nonprofit Answer Guide

 Used smartly, technology can help you do more with less. But in a fast-changing industry, how do you keep pace with what’s available? And just as importantly, how do you determine where to put your dollars and resources? The Internet is a good place to begin your research. Technology information and review sites such as idealware.org and NTEN provide articles and product comparison reports, and offer recommendations targeted to the unique needs of nonprofits.
To start, consider putting technology to use in the following areas:

Office Infrastructure

A sound office framework is critical to the success of your organization. As such, integrating technology into your office operations should be your first priority. When budgeting for technology outputs in this area, computer hardware and software, databases, networking and security should be taken into account. The complexity of technical options may seem overwhelming, so consider hiring an IT consultant to help you choose tools that effectively meet your needs and budget, and account for future growth.

Fundraising

Fundraising in the nonprofit sector is undergoing a technology revolution. Thanks to the growth of open source technologies, a plethora of innovative donation and outreach tools, and the rise of social media sites like Facebook and Twitter, nonprofits can quickly and cost effectively implement grassroots campaigns using leading technology tools such as Causes, Crowdrise, Jumo, and Razoo.
Many nonprofits are also integrating mobile giving into their fundraising strategies. Check out Fundraising, to learn more about how to set up a mobile giving system and find resources that are available to assist you.

Event Management

No matter what type of nonprofit you are, your constituency is going to want to register for events online. Fortunately, there are a wide variety of tools available to help you accept and manage registration and payment for seminars, courses, conferences and other events. From basic and affordable, to feature-rich integrated systems, you’re sure to find a tool that meets your needs and budget. Take a look at PayPal, Acteva, Constant Contact and Cvent to start.

Member and Constituent Management

Constituent relationship management (CRM) applications help organizations manage the many different relationships they may have with constituents, members, volunteers, donors, partners and more. For nonprofits, CRM is available ready to use as an online system, can be purchased as a software package and installed on office computers, or can even be cost effectively customized using an open source option. The Raiser’s Edge and Blackbaud Enterprise are CRM solutions you’ve likely already heard of. However, there are many options out there, each with their own pros and cons, so you’ll want to spend time researching the right solution for your needs.

Collaboration and Communication

Technology makes communication and collaboration easy, keeps projects on track, and helps remote workers stay connected to the office.
You probably already use email, but instant messaging (IM) tools such as Skype, AIM, and Google Talk are also efficient ways to communicate, person to person or in groups. IM is faster than email and ideal for quick exchanges, to determine who’s available or to get immediate feedback.
For project collaboration tasks, look at online project management tools such as Basecamp and Yammer. These project-specific workspaces allow you and your colleagues to organize, exchange and update information from office, home or anywhere work takes you.
Also consider wikis and FTP sites to give and gain access to large files and keep collaborative files current.
Looking for an alternative to in-person meetings? Try web or video conferencing tools such as Adobe Connect, GoToMeeting, Microsoft Office Live Meeting and the like. Today’s sophisticated meeting tools effectively gather remote users together to meet online in real time by offering features such as video, audio and text chat, screen and document sharing, slide presentations and more.
Wondering about that “cloud” everyone seems to be talking about? The cloud is comprised of applications, services and data that exist somewhere other than on your computer. In other words, all of the tools we’ve described above exist in the cloud.

Marketing and PR

Without exception, technology should be part of every nonprofit organization’s marketing mix.
At minimum, your nonprofit should have a website. Keep design and language simple, build “‘search-engine friendly” to your constituent needs, and you can’t go wrong. You may also want to hire a search engine optimization (SEO) specialist to optimize your site to rank well in search engines like Google and Yahoo. An SEO specialist will use techniques, such as researching and incorporating select keywords and phrases into your website, to help boost your position online and attract targeted visitors.
And keep in mind site maintenance. Ideally, you’ll want to update your own website. A good content management system (CMS) can help you do that. Take a look at cost-effective open source systems such as WordPress and Drupal to start.
To send professional and appealing e-newsletters, alerts and fundraising requests, try broadcast email tools such as Constant Contact, MailChimp and VerticalResponse. Or, quickly survey your constituents online with tools like SurveyMonkey.
Consider advertising online. Even if your resources are limited, you have options here. For example, Google Grants offers in-kind AdWords advertising to select charitable organizations. To learn more, visit www.google.com/grants.
When you’re ready, join the conversation! Listen to your constituents and build relationships online using social media tools like Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter. You can also manage your brand with web-monitoring tools such as Google Alerts and Technorati, and distribute press releases through services such as PRWeb.
If you have the right human resources and a steady stream of fresh content, you might also consider blogging as a way to promote your message and inform stakeholders. A blog can be hosted on your own website, or you can use free services available at blogger.com or wordpress.com. If you decide to go this route, just remember to cross-promote your posts on your social networks.

Project Lucky Confirms Samsung’s Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge with Micro SD

 

Project Lucky has been leaked, and is Samsung’s current production project on not one, but at least two variants of the Galaxy S7. Much has been leaked on the new projection initiatives that surrounds Lucky as the next coming in the famed Galaxy S series. Codenamed as SM-G930 and SM-G935 which are presumably the S7 and S7 Edge.

Tips out of South Korea suggests that both variants of the S7 will bring the Micro SD card slot which was missing in the S5. The SM-G930 which is believed to be the standard version while the SM-G935 is believed to the unique, Galaxy S7 Edge.

As of now, both versions will launch in most larger markets around the world as its all-but confirmed for the US, UK, India, Canada, Germany, South Korea, China, and most markets where Samsung has a presence already in. The UK release date is already being speculated for February or March with the same expected for those in India.

Besides the return of the Micro SD card slot, we’re also hearing there will be two processor options available depending on where you live. Both the Snapdragon Qualcomm 820 SoC and Exynos 8890 SoC have been rumored in production which is moving much faster than previous versions. Samsung attributes the accelerated production to a new initiative which is aimed at reducing costs. The changes in production also making it easier and faster to implement changes in production during the process itself.

This brings us hope that Project Lucky will mean an earlier than anticipated Galaxy S7 launch in markets worldwide starting in South Korea. Consumers may see the next coming in the Galaxy S series as early as February or March of 2016 which an official announcement that may come at either the MWC event in January or MWC in Barcelona one month later. And then there’s the Galaxy S7 Active which is expected to launch in the summer of 2017, and will once again be the more durable variant.

We’ll keep you updated on the end result of Project Lucky which is most certain to yield two of the hotest smartphones of 2016 – Samsung Galaxy S7 and Samsung Galaxy S7 Edge.

We Get Behind the Wheel of a Surplus Humvee, No Enlistment Required!

The AM General High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle occupies an extremely weird place in American automotive culture. It’s a military machine, the official transportation of the world’s finest hellholes. But it’s also the basis of the former Hummer H1, a six-figure attempt at a domestic Geländewagen and a glamorous co-star in the silliest car chase in movie history (see: The Rock). Until very recently, you’ve only driven one of these things if (A) you once wore fatigues and answered to Uncle Sam, or (B) your successful New Jersey nightclub needed a tax write-off for a friggin’ business vehicle.
About a year ago, though, a third possibility emerged: private ownership for the ex-military machines. Online heavy-equipment auction site IronPlanet bid on a government contract for “disposal of surplus product,” meaning Humvees made obsolete by the new Oshkosh Joint Light Tactical Vehicle. Prior to IronPlanet’s involvement, “disposal” meant just that—most old Humvees were sold for scrap (though they’re not hard to find on eBay, either). The pitch to the government was ­simple: Don’t scrap these things, sell them. You’ll generate more money, and the public will get surplus Humvees for a fraction of the price of an H1.

So far, about 2500 Humvees have been honorably discharged from military bases to private ownership, a process that got easier last summer when IronPlanet began offering Standard Form 97, “The United States Government Certificate to Obtain Title to a Vehicle.” That crucial piece of paperwork allows buyers to prove ownership, and from there one can pursue the quest for a license plate, although IronPlanet isn’t making any promises on that front. For instance, it’s easy to imagine that California might actively thwart the proliferation of menacing diesel troop carriers on its thoroughfares. Whereas in Texas, the DMV clerk might compliment your sidearm and “Don’t Tread on Me” belt buckle while handing over a vanity plate that reads “SECEDE.” Check your state guidelines before bidding.

And then examine your expectations, because a Humvee is unlike any production vehicle you’ve ever driven. Even in luxed-up H1 guise, the Humvee was never known as a friendly, or even competent, on-road machine. You won’t want to buy one of these because you’re thinking it’ll replace your Jeep Wrangler for your daily commute. You do want one, though, if you’re looking to build your post-apocalyptic hideout atop a 60-degree slope surrounded by a five-foot-deep moat. Neither of those obstacles poses a problem for a properly equipped Humvee, which makes it the perfect thing to park in your EMP-proof cement bunker.
We drove a 1987 M998 at Outback Motorsports Complex, a 600-plus-acre off-road playground in Laurinburg, North Carolina. As an early model, the M998 featured GM’s 6.2-liter diesel V-8 instead of the later 6.5-liter, and its green camo hinted at a Cold War anti-Commie assignment rather than more recent sand-toned adventures. The paint is a clue about each truck’s past, but beyond that you’re on your own. IronPlanet’s oil-sample analysis is as close as you’ll get to a Carfax report. But, given the prices—our test truck, with hardtop and LED headlights, sold for $18,250—it can be worth taking a flier on a rig with supernatural off-road abilities.

Samsung tests 5G technology, plans to present in 2017

Samsung has made an important step in the transmission of data between mobile devices. As reported by Yonhap News, the company has recently tested a version for the 5G wireless technology.

Upcoming New Samsung Galaxy S7 Details

As we approach the official launch of Samsung Galaxy S7 at the MWC 2016 new details are being published online for the main phone company this year South Korean.

The Robot That Learns To Write As A Human Will Save Your Time

When the children were shown a new object, such as an alphabet letter, a photo or an element of the world ,they just need some time to identify it accurately. While robots need to be trained hundreds and thousands of times to identify not only an object, but also to identify it from different angles.

How to Find Free Coupons on the Web

When times are tough, the old fashioned staple of coupons tend to experience resurgence. Coupons have been around as long as the concept of marketing has, and in recent years the internet has helped create a whole new universe for coupon hunters.

US Equities: Will Volatility Persist?

It’s no secret that one of the best ways to be successful when investing in