Issue 530 Privacy and the Internet: Opt in switch February 18, 2015

There has been talk about how you really have no privacy on the internet.  More specifically, service providers and websites like Google, Facebook, etc., are selling your personal information to make a profit.  Some of you know this already, and some of you do not, so let us discuss.

Defining personal data:  So on the internet, personal data is not just your bank account numbers (which these companies do not sell).  Instead it is all the websites you visit and your personal preferences on the web.  So if you like anime, or cartoons they will know, and even how often you watch a particular show.  They will know if you do online banking by how often you visit a banks website to log in.  Heck, they will even know if you watch porn, and how often you search for your favorite porn star.  All this data is then bundled, and sold to other websites, and services which then customize advertisements or searches to meet what you like.  But, this disturbed people for obvious reasons, including the fact that this data is used to make a profit off of you.  

Thus the opt in switch:  An opt in switch is a proposal by some people to websites like Facebook and Google, so that people who want to maintain privacy can have it.  Basically, you would have to say ok for a website or web service to use your data and sell it.  Very simple idea, but with major impacts.

For one, these companies would potentially lose money.  Reason being, the buying and selling of data supports business operations.  This includes making, or altering websites to suit us, the regular internet community who may visit their websites or use their services.  So that search may take longer than normal, or you may miss that advertisement for that tool set when you visit a home depot site.  It is really hard to tell you my reader how different it would be for businesses to attract your business on the internet if an opt in switch existed.  They could not put your favorite actor, website or item at the top of a search list.  Literally, these websites and services could not offer as many deals, or specials as all that data we give them every day provides them with the ability to customize our internet experience to us.  Sure, they profit off of all this, but if they did not, they would not be able to exist in the first place.

Conclusion:  The internet is a public square, where all information is free to move around.  This includes our data on personal preferences, tastes, and what we may have just bought online.  An opt in switch does sound like a nice idea, but I personally do not know.  Is there any real disadvantage to allowing these websites and services share our information on how often we update a wish list on Amazon, or search Godzilla on Google?  The only real data I am worried about is my bank account, as I just do not want my really important data stolen.  As such, data of useless searches or fancies has no negative impact on me so long as these companies integrity remains intact.  And last I checked, they do really well keeping the really important information safe.  So no opt in switch for me, in my case, but I cannot speak for you.  Therefore if you think this is a worthy idea, then pursue it, if not, then Que Sera sera.

Issue 529 Bug farms February 17, 2015

Apparently there has been some talk amongst the people who are worried about a world food crisis and the effects farming animals has on climate change.  In an issue of National Geographic they did a two page summary of the advantages of eating bugs as an alternative food source and how farming them over say cows, reduces the environmental impact we humans have on the planet.  Let's discuss what I have learned.

Interesting facts:  Did you know that a full quarter of the world's population eats bugs as part of their diet?  Also, there are 2,000 edible species of bug on the planet that we know of?  Well, I knew the French eat snails, but this is a whole lot more than I thought.  In fact, bugs have a higher protein value than other animals.  However, the reason they are not widely accepted as a food source is because they are, well, real yucky looking.  I mean, have you seen a slug?  Ewww.  So the idea to possibly make them more acceptable to the rest of the world is to make them into pasts and powders.  So you could have a bag of flower that is 1/4 ground cricket.  Though that may be a decade or so off, because it has to be accepted by people first.  So education is the key.

Getting people to accept bug food:  So, the article pointed out some places where bugs are used that we probably did not even realize.  Bugs are used as animal feed.  This seems easy to digest, as the high proteins in bugs help the animal’s bulk up without the need for steroids.  The creepy critters are used to color lipstick and other things like alcohols.  So you may be rubbing ground beetle on your lips or drinking crushed spider in your favorite beer.  Also, they are used in medicine as well.  So we are already eating bugs and probably do not even realize it.

Farming wise, for those environmentally conscious people, the bugs take up very small plots of land to farm.  So there is less need to clear large forests for grazing animals as bugs do not graze.  Instead, you just need a barn with enough space for mass production.  As they are so small, they generate less greenhouse gases and they even eat organic waste such as garbage, which they convert to protein.  So these little guys can eat the stuff we cannot (like dead leaves, dead animals, and other waste).   This means that they are cheaper and easier to feed.  In short, that means a lot less money and the waste is removed and recycled back into energy for us to eat.  Basically, they are easier and cheaper to farm, than a regular farm while reducing the environmental impact on the planet.

Conclusion:  Does all this make me want to eat a cricket, or a beetle?  Not really.  That yuck factor does not have me sold.  Sure, I may try a prepared dish, like something with escargot (snail), but I am not ready for eating a chocolate covered ant.  So for now, I am going to sit back and watch to see what unique possibilities bugs will have on the world’s future diet.

Issue 528 3-D printed homes February 16, 2015

Did you know that 3d printers can also print an entire house?  And no, I’m not just talking about small parts, but the entire home itself.  Here is how it works.

Here is how it works (thanks captain obvious):    To start track is laid down on either side of the planned foundation.  The foundation, is already pre-constructed, so if there is a basement, the structural walls or temporary support malls for that are already put in place.  From there the giant 3d printer begins its work.  It uses the track to move across the property, or even over multiple properties to build one to several homes that have been programed into its system.  There's a nozzle(s) on the end of a boom that excretes the contents of multiple hoppers for various liquefied materials such as cement, copper wire, foam insulation and even glass.  Then just like a regular 3d printer the house or houses are built bit by bit with the robot 3d printer keeping to the design specks.  Wood is no problem for this machine either as by using sheets of plant fibers, gluing them and then cutting them can make a wood like material when necessary.  Wiring is done in such a way that they are insulated in the walls with outlets and other electronic equipment implanted into the building itself.  This eliminates seems, but designed to be accessed by future electricians for upgrades/changes.  Even plumbing is laid down via the creation of thick plastic or metal pipes via the 3d printer. Heck, not only can it print a kitchen sink, but also a fireplace too (and that is done with its liquefied rock ink to get whatever look you desire). All of this is additive type manufacturing, in which material is added and them either melted/hardened/glued into place.

Limitations:  The main limitation is that if the 3d printed home has a design flaw, then the machine cannot fix that (as in the design of the home that was programed had a design flaw).  Also, if energy requirements for the home go beyond what the original design called for, then you again would need some sort of outside help from an electrician to fix the problem (this is in reference to changes in electrical needs over time).  Home remodeling is the same deal.  Construction workers of all sorts will still be required to do such jobs.  On top of this, whatever the 3d printer does not do, a construction worker will.  So if the steps to say the basement are not built with the 3d printer due to a design limitation the 3d printer cannot as of yet overcome, then the workers will have to do it.  So any and all finishing touches that the 3d printer is not designed to overcome yet, or is incapable of doing will be done by workers.  Also, the printer needs a clearing to do a job so the track can be laid down.  So this prohibits its current use on uneven/jagged terrain on the side of mountains or dense forest.  So these too will be left to the skills of the construction worker.

Conclusion:  While still being fully developed and implemented, the 3d home printer stands to make custom built homes very cheap and efficient as it will reduce almost all costs from labor save initial setup and removal of the 3d printer, and finishing details on the interior and exterior of the home.  So we are seeing a revolution is housing mass production.  However, this thankfully does not eliminate the construction worker from the job.  Custom, detailed or other work will still need to be done by these skilled laborers.  So these workers may end up with niche jobs like custom aftermarket tiling, or home remodeling as opposed to constructing an entire home from scratch.  As such, construction workers will be supplanted in the housing market, but not lose their overall need.  I don't know about you, but I look forward to cheaper homes as it means more homes become affordable.  So I welcome this technological triumph with glee.

Issue 527 How to use a journal February 13, 2015

A journal is, for all intents and purposes, a tool for you to use.  It helps you remember things that you want to remember with a level of clarity that you otherwise cannot remember on your own.  But how exactly do you use one?  That is what I would like to answer in today's issue.

An everyday journal:  In this type of journal you write about what goes on in your everyday life.  From the mundane to the exciting.  It is all about you saying what happened and possibly expressing how you felt about it.  You can also use this journal as a tool to look back at how you changed over time, or to see if you feel like you are living a fulfilled life.  Basically, this form of journal (can be synonymous with Dairy) is what Anne Frank wrote which is now read around the world.  So you can emulate Anne Frank and write about the tough times, your interactions with others that you felt were positive or negative, or critique yourself in the hopes of improving yourself.  Overall, this is the typical journal.

Inspiration type:  This type is used by people who want to write down thoughts or ideas.  Musicians can write about sounds they wish to emulate, writers can make notes on story elements, or actively imaginative people can simply make up a story, character, or anything for that matter.  It is all about writing down what inspires you.

Goal/task driven:  For this type you dedicate the journal to a specific subject or task.  I have several of these myself dedicated to blog topics, newspaper articles that I want to share with you all, and basic information gathered from news and other sources.  I have met people who use such journals for work related activities, and others for career or future goals like their plans on when and how they will buy a house.   It is very simple but effective use of a journal turning it into more of a notebook rather than an actual journal.

Exchange Journal:  Here is a type of journal that is shared amongst a number of people (2 or more).  In this case, it is usually used by those who cannot meet up very often or for those who cannot share certain thoughts aloud.  Basically one person starts, and writes down an event or their opinion on something.  Then it is left to the next person to read that entry, maybe put their own reactions or opinions on that and then write their own event that they wish to talk about.  It is very similar to how people used to exchange letters or emails, but without the physical distance (though there may be social distance involved).

Conclusion:  The sheer number of subjects upon which to write in a journal is limitless.  In fact there really is no wrong way to use one.  You can write in it every day, or once a month, or just when you feel like something is worth writing down.  But these are the basic types that I have learned about and in some cases use to benefit myself.  So what about you?  Do you think a journal will be useful to you?

Issue 526 Life long prisons February 12, 2015

So what if we could house prisoners cheaply.  There may actually be a solution to that.  So here is the idea.

The idea:  Basically we are using the same concept as a gated community, but in this case to house inmates.  They would be sorted based on their crimes, with rapists and child molesters in a single community and murderers in another (the two crimes that usually deserve or get life imprisonment).  We would still get giant walls, and triple fencing with barbed wire, but inside there would be no guards.  Inside would be a series of tiny living spaces, similar to micro homes for each inmate.  So this eliminates bad roommates.  Yes they would get a kitchen and all the amenities of such a home, but this is by no means a free ride.  

They would be forced to feed and cook for themselves every day.  To feed them, there will be a hydroponics garden which they must use to grow and harvest food on a daily basis. Their own waste would be harvested to supply nutrients for the garden with additional nutrients added by outside means if necessary. Meat will be provided in the form of small animals like rabbits, squirrels, chicken and even high protein bugs.  Basically, cheap fast growing food in both animal and plant forms.  They will be given recipes and equipment to be self-sustaining.  

For education/recreation they will have access to an online reading library and free movies via a restricted access internet connection (equivalent to parental controls).  They will also receive any and all correspondence with family via the internet.  Anyone caught misbehaving will have the internet shut down or electricity as the entire complex will run on a smart electrical grid powered by solar panels and wind turbines with only additional power coming from outside when those sources are not enough.  Also, there will be a community room with gym equipment, and basketball, tennis and other sport functions.  

Any excess food grown can be given up by said prisoners to a repository so it can be sold to people to support the cost of running this type of prison. Small factory based facilities, or IT jobs will be made available for them to learn and do as well. In exchange, the prisoners then can get special privileges for performing such work/tasks (privileges are as yet to be determined, but special foods like steak, or hard to get items like cigarettes seem the best candidates)

Guards will be posted around said community and have barracks.  They will live and work at the gated prison in shifts of a month at a time.  Their primary duty is to monitor prisoners via cameras and microphones, and prevent escape.  Otherwise they do not interact with the prisoners at all.

Conclusion: This is obviously a concept from which prisoners take care of themselves in a self-sustaining community so as to reduce costs while teaching skills the prisoners need to get by in life if for some reason they get out of jail.  Obviously men and women will be housed separately and great care will be used to insure only appropriate cases go to one of these facilities.  The idea of course is still being developed by yours truly and I have no way to stop these people from murdering each other if they so desire, though the goal should be to create a form of dependency on each other to prevent that.  Also, to prevent anarchy, suitable losses of privileges would/should work to incentivize good behavior (loss of meat privileges, cutting off electricity to the dwelling etc.).  So will it work, who knows, but at least in this idea we would not pay for these people anymore with them doing all the internal upkeep and taking care of themselves and us just paying for the guards.

Issue 525 Micro homes and Apartments February 11, 2015

Slowly but surely micro homes and apartments are growing in popularity.  But why would such tiny living spaces have such appeal to so many, and what are the tradeoffs.  Let's discuss.

What does it mean to live micro:  These living spaces are literally a single bathroom, a living area that potentially doubles as a bedroom, and a galley style kitchen.  Typically you will be living in 80 to 400 square foot homes as opposed to 800 plus square foot homes.  So you will be living in a very tiny place.  This tiny living space can be applied to homes, apartments or even other forms of dwellings that intend to maximize space.  Typically a micro home will have a small loft that either acts as storage or a bedroom.  The living area and kitchen are typically squished together and another small room acts as a bedroom or an additional multipurpose area.  And of course there is a bathroom that usually has a composting toilet as there is usually no plumbing (if in a tree house or portable micro home).  Both apartments and micro homes have the capability of using murphy beds (fold out beds), fold out tables, drawers inside stairs (if they exist instead of a ladder), and under floor storage or pull down from the ceiling storage.  Beds if inside will either have storage underneath them in the floor or the frame, or host a series of drawers or cubbies.  Couches and benches (and sometimes chairs) will host internal storage as well.  Basically, these dwellings will make every use of space savings potential they can get.  Heck, even treehouses make use of the same technology so they too become a viable option.  

Advantages:  The biggest advantages is the cost.  These dwellings run very cheap and typically is the cost of a small car.  Apartments of this variety also run cheap while maximizing occupancy for low income earners in an apartment building (good for the landlord and those looking for a place to live).  Retirees seem to like this idea as they no longer have to pay a mortgage or pay a very small one.  In addition this living arrangement works for those scaling down.  Also, if you want to take your home with you, a good portion of these micro homes are portable in the same way as a trailer.  So cheapness, and scaling down seem to be the primary advantages.

Disadvantages:  Living like this is not for everyone.  Some people need large homes to fit all their stuff and cannot live in such cramped conditions.  Others may dislike the fact that they will have to scale down from larger grander homes, thus sacrificing memories (though many get through this by repurposing older items like pots into lamp shades, blankets into pillows and so on).  Overall space is the primary drawback and living in such a way can be draining to some (people may not like the idea of pulling their bed out of a wall or having to lift up the couch cushion to get items).  Hence why micro apartments seem to fit those who want tiny living and can get used to all the cubby spaces, but not those who want to avoid the possible work (composting toilets) that comes with it.

Conclusion:  So you have cheap comfortable living with the tradeoff of space issues.  Depending on who you are, this can be great for single people or couples whose kids have already moved out.  This also works great for college students looking to strike out on their own, but lack the means to buy a full blown home let alone a regular sized apartment.  So it would probably work for someone like me, as I like to think I can live small (despite all the books, models and other items I have stored in my 80 (8x10) square foot bedroom).  So if you think this is right for you, feel free to embrace your compact nature.

Issue 524 Homeless and the homes first approach February 10, 2015

So there is another (and possibly counter intuitive) approach to getting the homeless off the streets and into homes.  It is called the homes first approach, and I’m going to tell you how it works.  (Original source is "The Economist" November 15th 2014 issue).

How it works:  It is basically no strings attached housing for the poor.  Most homeless are apparently mentally ill, alcoholic or drug addicted with many possibly being all three.  The original staircase method required the homeless to quit drinking and doing drugs before putting them into emergency and temporary housing from which they were deemed if they were eligible to be housed.  But according to the article, this staircase approach had many refusing to sign up, and less than half make it all the way to subsidized housing.   

However, the homes first approach that was come up with by Sam Tsemberis, a professor of psychiatry at New York University, in 1992 which was called Pathways to Housing is different. To successfully facilitate and impact the lives of the homeless, those at most risk of dying in the street are put to the top of the list for finding homes.  From there the homeless were given homes in cheap/poor districts.  Medical care, treatment for addiction, learning to cook, learning to pay bills and other services were offered to these individuals, but none of these was required.  After 5 years 88% of the people in the program remained housed.  Since then it has been copied around the world in 200 American cities and in Denmark, Finland, while being tried out in Japan, Australia and Canada.  This international attention has resulted in it being called the "homes first: approach.  

Why it actually saves money:  Apparently long term rough sleepers "...are 15% of all homeless people, but use more than half of all public spending including on services, medical care, detox and jail."  In Denver, Colorado, its 300 heavy utilizers costs taxpayers $37,000 each a year, but putting them into a home with support makes them cost half as much.   The Canadian city of Calgary (the first Canadian city to use the program) saw an average savings of $30,000 per person in its more acute cases.  And the savings continue with the least complex cases costing even less or nothing at all depending on the support needs.  This also allows public services to be freed up for what they are supposed to do, like police officers fighting crime rather than arresting homeless people for trespassing or being a public nuisance.

Conclusion:  Well it is overall a successful program based on what the article presented.  However, while it has been shown to improve the former homeless individual’s quality of life and even their ability to function in a community, many still continue to abuse alcohol, drugs and remain unemployable according to studies. Also, finding cheap homes is still an issue as rents and prices increase with the only possible solution being a planned public housing development.   However, this saving money and saving lives seems to be worth the cost. So what do you think, as it saves money and helps the poor at the same time?  Is it worth the effort?  I seem to think so based on the evidence given in the article.