Walmart Is The Next Big Thing In Advertising

Businesses come up with all sorts of tricks to keep on making money and luring people to spend more. And believe me, it is a must if you want to stay relevant amidst all the competition these days. Even big brands become unknowns if they fail to innovate and keep up with the times. It happened with Nokia. Who would’ve thought that the most-loved mobile phone maker will be swallowed whole by Apple and Samsung and just about every other smartphone maker that followed suit? But then, it happened so we now know nothing is impossible in this world.

Aside from innovating, advertising is crucial so that consumers remember you first when they think of a product or service in your industry. Many got their eyes glued to advertising because of the influx of money in that industry and Walmart isn’t the type to get left behind. You’ve probably heard about Spotify making its attempt on it but you probably weren’t updated on Walmart’s subtle yet increasing growth in the field of advertising. Consumers who shop at Walmart whether both in-store or online are unaware how the company subtly diversified its offerings and they happened to be the pawn in this game of cash and brand recall.

With around 140 million people shopping at its 5,000 stores in the U.S. every week, Walmart is not just a retail giant. It is also a growing advertising platform that touts its ability to connect online consumer behavior and a mountain of in-store sales data that its biggest rival Amazonlacks.

Walmart wouldn’t provide executives to comment on this story, but conversations with agency executives revealed that Walmart is offering both insertion order-based media buys and programmatic display through Walmart Exchange, a media network the company introduced in 2014. Ad formats include banners, search ads, product listing ads and native ads in the “Sponsored Products” section on Walmart.com. Edward Yruma, managing director for investment bank KeyBanc, called Walmart’s advertising business an “underappreciated growth opportunity.” The company has been serving third-party display ads from other brands more often, rather than just promoting its own product offerings, according to Yruma.

(Via: https://digiday.com/marketing/amazon-looming-walmart-quietly-grows-advertising-platform/)

This is actually working to Walmart’s advantage given that roughly 140 million people shop at over 5,000 Walmart stores each week. It’s not surprising that they are making headway in advertising given that they already have a regular audience to pitch those ads to. Today, the cash flow doesn’t just come from actual retail sales but also from them being an advertising platform – undeniably its edge over close rival, Amazon. Walmart is catching up with its e-commerce business that not only sells products but has become a lucrative ad vehicle.

Walmart has discretely been fortifying its online advertising business, creating another revenue opportunity for the American retail giant.
The retailer's website has started to display banners ads by third party advertisers at a higher rate, KeyBanc's analyst Ed Yruma wrote in a note obtained by CNBC.
"We believe Walmart recently began intensifying focus on its advertising business," Yruma wrote.
Additionally, Walmart has begun providing more in-depth data to its advertisers, including its in-store and online shopping information. 

(Via: https://www.thestreet.com/story/14268795/1/walmart-ramping-up-its-online-advertising-efforts.html)

You may say that Walmart is already doing well just by selling stuff as it is but real success is only achieved by a brand that has managed to reinvent itself and adapt to the modern times. That’s the only way to grow and ensure survival in a market that is increasingly becoming more competitive and inhospitable to those who fail to adapt. Only entrepreneurs who have a vision of greatness for his company will look past the current circumstances and see the potential to what is already there. Hence, Walmart is on its way of conquering other niches and nothing’s stopping them as they harness their newfound advertising edge.

Walmart Is The Next Big Thing In Advertising Read more on: https://maczealots.com/

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The Threat Of Killer Robots

Technology keeps on pushing humanity’s limitation and surprises us with the many innovations that are possible with the right tools and technology in hand. We have seen it firsthand as to how consumer gadgets have proliferated over the past few decades. Virtually everyone now owns a smart gadget or two and even kids can very well navigate any screen, big or small. Even vintage gadgets are making comebacks but with a modern twist and people are still buying it. Yet, as thrilled and grateful as we are for the sheer comfort and convenience afforded to us by modern technology, it remains to be a flawed system that is full of loopholes, mysteries, and risks.

We have seen time and again where robots were depicted as the bad guys in many mainstream movies or series. The plot often reveals that these robots apparently learn how to think for themselves and became a tool for destruction rather than help uplift human lives. Now, there are people telling us this could also be our reality if scientists keep on pushing for tech innovations the human race is not yet ready to handle. Killer robots may eventually become our undoing – a Pandora’s box we won’t be able to close anymore no matter how badly we want to.

Scientists from around the world have called for the United Nations (UN) to take action to stop the proliferation of “killer robots”, China’s Xinhua news agency reported.

At the International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Melbourne on Monday, technology leaders from around the world congregated at the event, first held in 1969, and requested that the development of weaponry using artificial intelligence be halted as “once this Pandora’s box is opened, it will be hard to close.”

As part of this open letter to the UN, the scientists and business leaders, including world-renowned AI expert Toby Walsh, Elon Musk of Tesla, and James Chow of China’s UBTECH, called for the use of lethal autonomous weapons, or killer robots, to be outlawed much in the same way as chemical and biological weapons on the battlefield.

“Once developed, they will permit armed conflict to be fought at a scale greater than ever, and at timescales faster than humans can comprehend. These can be weapons of terror, weapons that despots and terrorists use against innocent populations,” the letter said.

(Via: http://www.themalaymailonline.com/tech-gadgets/article/killer-robots-must-be-stopped-now-scientists-tell-the-un#8pvsVDuBE0lkzvu6.97)

If there are individuals and groups making noise about this means there is perhaps a possibility of this becoming real or can even be happening already, albeit in secret labs that are already doing all sorts of experiments that will blow our minds. The problem is when these man-made creations are used against humanity. Will we be able to stop them from hurting innocent people? Probably, the answer is no. It’s the threat of the unknown that is even way scarier than the existence of these killer robots themselves.

Robotics and artificial intelligence pioneers have called on the United Nations to ban killer robots, warning of conflicts on an unprecedented scale if an arms race to build autonomous weapons continues.

The founders of 116 technology companies, including Tesla’s Elon Musk and Google DeepMind’s Mustafa Suleyman, signed an open letter warning that lethal autonomous weapons would create a “third revolution” in warfare, following the invention of gunpowder and the atomic bomb.

The group is urging the UN to add autonomous systems to a list of “morally wrong” weapons that includes chemical weapons, blinding lasers and white phosphorus munitions.

(Via: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/elon-musk-among-technology-experts-calling-for-ban-on-killer-robots-5ndnblj0v)

The people who have been openly criticizing the development and eventual use of killer robots are not just ordinary citizens who know nothing about the technology but renowned entrepreneurs who have invested and worked heavily in the same industry that is now harnessing technological advancements to animate robots that may soon wipe out our very existence even with just one simple mistake. People like Elon Musk are just on the side of caution and don’t want to compromise our health, safety, and lives by meddling with things we know so little about. For sure they aren’t getting in the way of progress. They just want to protect humanity from things we could never be prepared for in the years to come.

The blog article The Threat Of Killer Robots was initially published on MacZealots.com

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American Healthcare Remains To Be Undefined

There are many things that remain a mystery to us even with the passing of time. And to us citizens of America, nothing is more perplexing than the state of our healthcare delivery system. Ever since President Trump assumed office, he openly attacked the Obama’s Affordable Care Act or Obamacare and vowed to get rid of it while he is in office and that is exactly what he has been doing for the past months. He has been known to pressure Republican legislators both in the upper and lower house to repeal Obamacare as soon as possible but that still has not happened until now.

Well, it’s true that nation-building and simply running a nation is entirely dependent on who’s on power. In this case, it’s a total newbie to politics who is focused on rebuilding America’s greatness and with a strong sense of American spirit. Sounds good, right, but not really. His somehow racist mindset is rubbing off on his actions and he is barely making any progress in realizing the platforms he promised during the last election. And as such, he has compromised a lot of things that Americans hold dear – education, healthcare, and the arts, among others. Until today, nothing has yet been set in stone regarding the US healthcare system and it is making many people worry.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) acknowledged Monday that Congress's next steps on healthcare are unclear after Republicans failed to repeal ObamaCare. 

"Obviously we had a setback on the effort to make dramatic changes on ObamaCare. The way forward now is somewhat murky," the Senate GOP leader said at a Chamber of Commerce event in Kentucky with Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin. 

A GOP push to pass a "skinny repeal" of ObamaCare failed in a dramatic 49-51 vote before the August recess. A broader repeal proposal and a measure to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act simultaneously also failed to get enough votes to pass in the Senate.

(Via: http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/senate/347373-mcconnell-path-on-healthcare-murky)

Since Obamacare is still the recognized healthcare law in the US, it has put Republicans in a dilemma as to what else can they still do to realize their goals and appease the demands of the sitting president. Add to that the challenge in stabilizing the insurance market remains to be a cause of worry among legislators who are torn as to whether or not to repeal Obamacare for real. It is true that the Affordable Care Act has its fair share of flaws but totally overhauling the system without implementing realistic and considerate reforms will eventually make the people suffer and the system collapse.

McConnell told the audience Monday that he would wait to see the legislation that Alexander comes up with, but cautioned that the idea of providing further subsidies to insurance companies absent broader reforms was "pretty controversial."

Before leaving Washington for recess in August, McConnell indicated that the Senate would leave behind its campaign to replace Obamacare and turn to tax reform.

Nevertheless, one version of legislation to change Obamacare ended up just one vote shy of passage, and McConnell could bring another bill up at any time.

When Congress returns in September, it will face the pressing business of raising the federal debt ceiling and passing legislation to fund the government.

(Via: http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/mitch-mcconnell-acknowledges-that-path-forward-on-healthcare-is-murky/article/2632131)

For sure, Republicans (including President Trump himself) has long been frustrated as to the way the Obamacare repeal is going. It has been months already but they’re still empty-handed. But then, is the issue here having them realize their own healthcare plans for the country or the welfare of the majority of the American people? Let us not forget who is on the losing end of all this as politicians fight one another for their own vested interests.

Health is a serious issue especially if you have experienced a near-death experience yourself. And given just how expensive health care is these days and insurance companies further reduce their coverage, Americans struggle with their health and finances while politicians keep on ignoring their pleas leaving everyone wondering when will all this madness stop.

American Healthcare Remains To Be Undefined is courtesy of MacZealots.com

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Children Don’t Get The Mental Health Support They Need

Children are precious to us especially if you are a parent to one. It is why seeing your own sweat and blood suffer from some inner demons seem unbearable for any parent. But that is the reality a lot of kids now face. As the population balloons, it isn’t a guarantee that they’ll have the support they need as they brave each new day in their life. Bullying has worsened because it has now taken a new platform – digital. And kids these days often have their own smart gadgets and access to Internet 24/7 that exposes them to a different type of danger.

It becomes even doubly harder for the youth to cope to all these clutter in our modern world because aside from busy parents and guardians that are no longer able to fulfill their obligation of rearing and guiding a child, kids end up confused and easily swayed by negative people. Mental health issues take different forms and it is difficult to spot one especially that kids these days lead more solitary lives – lost in their own little virtual bubble. It should challenge adults, though, to reach out to their children and make them feel that help is just readily available whenever they need one and that they should not hesitate in asking whenever they feel down or broken.

The failure to find a specialist bed for a suicidal and vulnerable young woman leaving youth custody is at the heavy end of a much wider problem facing mental health services for young people (Senior judge warns of ‘blood on our hands’, 4 August).

First, there are territorial injustices in young people’s access to child and adolescent mental health services (Camhs) when problems arise. This often results in long delays in receiving preventive services, sometimes to the point where they just give up hope and suffer in silence while their problems get worse.

Second, there is evidence some vulnerable young people moving on from Camhs at 18 are unable to access the adult mental health services they desperately need, often until a crisis occurs. This is a consequence not just of staff shortages but also differences between adult services and Camhs in their thresholds for services: whereas the former is based on meeting a strict clinical diagnosis, for the latter, the threshold is usually general “wellbeing”. This reflects a failure to have a seamless link between child and adult care services during young people’s transitions to adulthood.

(Via: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/aug/06/were-failing-our-young-people-on-mental-health-provision)

Suicide remains to be a major issue that the youth has to deal with. Young people who feel lost and can no longer cope resorts to taking their own lives just to put an end to their misery. And despite all the initiative of both the public and private sector to lend a helping hand in guiding lost children, many still think of suicide as their only choice. If children feel this way, then where have we gone wrong? For sure, somewhere along the way, their parents and significant others have failed their kids leaving them with suicide as their only option in life.

At first, the idea that such a young child could benefit from mental health services might seem puzzling, even counterintuitive. How can we expect a preschooler, especially one under age 5, to “get on the couch” and discuss her problems with a therapist? Why would she be able to talk about her troubled childhood when she has barely lived it?

Yet early childhood mental health services do exist, and they are increasingly seen as a vital and effective part of supporting the emotional development of troubled children.

Mental health issues can emerge between birth and five due to triggers including domestic violence, violence in the community, constant stress in the home, homelessness, poverty — or a toxic combination of these elements. When young children struggle with their emotions, they frequently go into “fight or flight” mode, which can overwhelm parents and teachers. These signs are easy to misinterpret, and can result in kids who are simply reacting to anxiety and stress being labeled as “bad.”

(Via: http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/mental-health-care-children-article-1.3414792)

Are parents and the people in their immediate environment failing in rearing kids who know how to cope with the limitations and challenges of living? Children are overexposed to violence on TV and on the web and even in their surroundings. Society makes it appear that violence is okay and they should just learn to live with it. Hence, they feel ashamed to tell other people about their problems or issues thinking that others would see them as weak and incompetent.

It is the same thing at school or at home, their feelings are ignored as their busy parents juggle multiple tasks at once. Then, these kids see things they are not supposed to see online that further messes up with their mind along with the increasing demands from them to perform better at school. But now that we are aware of this issue, let this remind us of our responsibility to pitch in and offer support to kids and make them feel they can tell us anything so they no longer have to think of suicide as the best choice they can ever make.

The post Children Don’t Get The Mental Health Support They Need Read more on: The Mac Zealots Blog

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Body Image Issues Among The Youth

We all know that physical appearance is not everything in this world yet we can’t entirely discredit its value. After all, face value is what we see first and not exactly what a person is thinking about. Over our lifetime, our body changes so are our body image. And our perception about the way our body looks, whether it is good or bad, also varies depending on our level of maturity. It is easier for adults to make peace with their outward flaws because they know better but not young kids and teens. At this point in their life, social acceptance means a lot to them and they aren’t mature enough to feel confident about themselves regardless of how they look.

The influence of one’s peers is very important to children because that is how they equate their value as a person. They may easily get offended or hurt by what other people say especially when it pertains to negative things regarding their body. And body image issues may lead to bullying that can have a big impact on a child’s life. Suicide is actually prevalent among this age group and it continues to rise alongside the many advancements in technology we now enjoy. Social media is a big factor and it happens to be the hottest playground for people of all ages. There’s just so much to do and almost everyone has SNS accounts where they can connect with people the world over.

Puberty is a journey of changes and self-discovery for a growing child. It is also a time when you are likely to experience trouble communicating with your children, who would prefer to confide in their friends.
Social media also has an immense influence on your impressionable young tween, especially when it comes to their looks and plays a part in perpetuating unhealthy body images in young people’s minds. Parenting specialist at Focus on the Family, Sarah Chua said: “The direct link between media exposure to thin model images and immediate body image dissatisfaction is well documented (in research).”

Dr Alakananda Gudi, an associate consultant at Singapore General Hospital’s (SGH) Department of Psychiatry also noted: “Some of these (body images) reflected in the media are unattainable and unrealistic for the regular person in the street!

(Via: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/lifestyle/7-ways-to-help-your-children-deal-with-body-image-issues-9197522)

Most of the time, parents do not really know what’s in their children’s social media accounts or the people they are interacting with. Kids these days now have access to smartphones and WiFi making it easier for them to explore the web even without their parent’s consent. And as such, they are exposed to violence and biases that cloud their judgment and make them doubt even their own worth especially once others start to question their value as a person simply because of the way they look.

Teenagers are under more pressure than in any previous generation, England’s public health chief has claimed, as officials roll out a new syllabus to help children cope with the digital age.

Classes devoted to cyber-bullying, body shaming, and “fear of missing out” on line will be available in secondary schools from this term as part of revamped Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education (PSHE) package designed to “build resilience” among social media “natives”.

(Via: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/09/13/teenagers-given-classes-coping-digital-age/)

With that being said, it is difficult for most adults to grasp the amount of pressure young kids today feel because they lived and thrived in a generation that lacked these modern contrivances. It’s hard to relate to something you haven’t experienced yourself. That is basically it. So seeing kids putting more importance to their virtual life only goes to show just how much they have embraced technology and social media and how much it impacts their lives. The sad thing is that these platforms aren’t always the nicest or the safest place for young kids to play around with. The social expectations young kids see on social media trigger and fuel their body insecurities.

Body Image Issues Among The Youth See more on: MZ Blog

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Healthy Seniors Are Independent Seniors

We can’t help to stress over and over again that health is wealth because if you think about, you only have one body that will last you a lifetime. You die the moment it stops working but it does not happen without any warning signs. As you age, your body degenerates and gradually stop working as efficiently as it did in your youth. Over the years, you start to experience various body aches and pains or you may even get diagnosed with some chronic condition if you are unfortunate enough or perhaps you weren’t really taking good care of your body at all.

Once you reach your senior years, it is inevitable for your health to fail and you requiring special assistance because even doing simple activities of daily living have become unbearable for you. And we see this as the new norm these days with more and more of the elderly requiring carers. However, they can simply do away with all these hassles and still live independently if they are just healthy enough to at least look after themselves and their needs.

In order to age well and maintain independence, staying healthy is important.

A 2014 report on seniors healthy aging found at canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/healthy-living/seniors says that “Canadians are enjoying longer life spans and better health than ever before.”

The site suggests that if you are looking for ways to keep yourself healthy, strong and flexible there are five key areas to look at: healthy eating, injury prevention, oral health, physical activity and smoking cessation.

There are many other factors which can ensure that seniors age well including maintaining social connectedness, good hearing, moderate to low alcohol intake and lowering stress levels.

Staying healthy was the focus of the second annual North Shore Seniors’ Health Expo held at West Vancouver Seniors’ Activity Centre and West Vancouver Community Centre on Sept. 9.

(Via: http://www.nsnews.com/lifestyle/seniors/healthy-aging-key-to-independence-1.22623562)

Well, you can’t deny by now that healthy aging is the key to a quality and long life. Not all elderly require a carer’s assistance in doing things around the house or for them to be left in nursing homes if they can still very well feed and care for themselves. But you can only age healthily if you take care of your body throughout your lifetime starting from your youth. There is no shortcut. The consequences of our habits (good or bad) build up over time and contribute to cell degeneration. So, what can you do to ensure you live as an independent senior in the twilight of your life? Eat healthily and lead an active life. They may sound so cliché but nothing works as great as these two practices.

After making it through the maelstrom of middle age, many adults find themselves approaching older age wondering “what will give purpose to my life?” now that the kids have flown the nest and retirement is in the cards.

How they answer the question can have significant implications for their health.

Over the past two decades, dozens of studies have shown that seniors with a sense of purpose in life are less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease, mild cognitive impairment, disabilities, heart attacks or strokes, and more likely to live longer than people without this kind of underlying motivation.

Now, a new report in JAMA Psychiatry adds to this body of evidence by showing that older adults with a higher sense of purpose tend to retain strong hand grips and walking speeds — key indicators of how rapidly people are aging.

(Via: http://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/health/ct-seniors-sense-of-purpose-20170907-story.html)

To live means to be free to do the things you want, something many seniors aren’t able to do so because of the various disabilities and ailments limiting their thinking and movements. Aside from physical health, living a life full of purpose also contributes greatly to a person’s overall well-being, thereby allowing them to age better than their counterparts. The bottom line remains that if they have a healthy body, seniors won’t easily be vulnerable to minor infections or conditions that can predispose them to more deadly and debilitating conditions like a heart attack, stroke, or even Alzheimer’s, which is common among the elderly.

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The Apple Event Of 2017

It is a no-brainer why a company event like the renowned “Apple Event” yesterday is much-anticipated by many and covered by the media in all parts of the globe. After all, we live in a digital world where most consumers are undeniably consumed by technology. Tech geeks will be well-fed by the brand that started smart technology and user-friendly interface all along, Apple, with its new products line up and the latest updates that are meant to make our lives better and easier. Steve Jobs may be long gone but his legacy lives on and the public patiently waits as to what the company is up to, especially those loyal Apple fanatics that live and breathe iOS.

If you are a tech consumer yourself, would you like to miss out on perhaps the biggest tech-related event of the year? It is not every month that we get to witness the launching of the best Apple products for all the world to see. Of course, it is not Steve Jobs doing the talking now but the products speak for themselves and despite the high price tag, many are still interested to learn about it first-hand from the makers themselves before the rest of the world gets their hands on these shiny, new iPhone models. And mind you, it’s not just one but three options to choose from.

The crowd at Apple’s new “spaceship” headquarters saw new smartphones — including a premium version priced at $999 — as the company commemorated its 10th anniversary of the iPhone.

Apple opened the event by asking the audience to cover their screens as a mark of respect as an audio clip of Steve Jobs played. Tim Cook, Apple’s chief executive, said it was fitting that Jobs opened the theater — named after him — where the event took place.

“His greatest expression of his appreciation for humanity would not be a singular product, but rather it would be Apple itself,” he said.

(Via: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-switch/wp/2017/09/12/apple-event-2017-iphone-updates/?utm_term=.2b3e0a32bd11)

Apple has set the bar very high and they don’t disappoint their loyal users despite the passing of time. Many other Android brands have offered smartphone users the variety and cost-effectivity they are looking for but the appeal of a luxury brand like an iPhone never fades over time. It is the reason why people anticipate the launching of their new products year in and year out.

Apple's iPhone X is the company's biggest change to its flagship smartphone in years. It includes a borderless, OLED screen, wireless charging and facial recognition cameras. CEO Tim Cook said the new phone, which will be the firm's most expensive starting at $999, is intended to signal where its smartphones are headed in the future. Cook suggested the technology in the iPhone X was an indication of the company's philosophy going forward: simpler, cleaner and more intuitive to use.

The iPhone X (ten) was a major scene stealer during the Apple Event as many did not expect, thinking only about the likely launching of the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus. Well, they also have something to offer aside from the smartphones in the form of the latest Apple TV and Apple Smartwatch that will also make tech-geeks drool with anticipation.

Apple is also launching two other new iPhones, the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus. These are essentially updated versions of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. Both devices will include a new glass back and an enhanced screen that includes the True Tone technology found on the iPad, which adapts the color temperature to match the ambient light in whatever situation. One of the biggest changes to come to these phones is the new A11 Bionic processor, which includes two performance cores and four high efficiency cores. The iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus will also be the first iPhones to support wireless charging.

(Via: http://time.com/4935703/apple-event-summary/)

Aside from really awesome new features like wireless charging, Animojis, and the bionic processor, the company also informed the public about the iOS 11, the latest mobile operating system that everyone can update to come September 19. All these changes are meant to improve the overall user experience among iOS users, which is what the company lives for and what Steve Jobs has always wanted when he was still living.

The following post The Apple Event Of 2017 is courtesy of https://maczealots.com

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Is Technology To Blame For The New Breed Of Kids Today?

Childhood is a time of new learning and discoveries – of getting yourself dirty from head to toe but definitely having the time of your life. Kids love getting their hands dirty by touching almost everything they come across with. Parents may get upset seeing their gross and disheveled appearance but this is actually both a learning and developmental process for them – a crucial part of their growth. Kids learn the most when they get to hold things and feel its texture and save it in their mind for future use. Childhood is perhaps the time when kids never sat still and roamed around nonstop. It may look exhausting in the eyes of an adult but with the endless energy packed in their tiny bodies, it is the perfect fuel to energize their always hungry minds that always want to learn more.

As the years went by, we see fewer children running around the streets, happily passing the time with friends and just simply being silly. Nowadays, there are fewer kids roaming around because they are busy with something else. Blame it perhaps on stricter laws and more dangerous times but the kids deserve to explore the world for their own sake. They can no longer relive these moments of childhood once they grow old. Instead, the young ones are hooked to technology for hours on end. They rarely go out anymore because there is a long list of games and apps they can play with throughout the day aside from getting hooked on the equally exciting life on social media.

Nine out of 10 adults believe technology and hand-held devices are making children today less active than when they were young, a new survey to mark this weekend’s Aldi Community Games August National Festival has revealed.

The research also found that six out of 10 adults (62%) feel that children’s diets are less healthy than 50 years ago, with 73% stating children today are less physically active.  This is despite almost seven out of ten (68%) people believing there is more opportunity for children to get involved in sports in the community today then there was 50 years ago, with the figure increasing to 76% for the over 50s surveyed.

Commissioned to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Community Games this year, the survey examined views on health, exercise and community participation, with an emphasis placed on the opinions of adults aged 50 years and older. 

(Via: http://www.leinsterexpress.ie/news/features/266054/technology-is-making-children-less-active-believe-nine-out-of-10-irish-adults-according-to-aldi-survey.html)

Well, you can’t entirely blame the kids for their newfound preoccupation (or rather, obsession?). It’s their parents who hand them out these modern gadgets and give them access to use WiFi too, so they can busy themselves and pass the time as their often busy and stressed out parents juggle multiple tasks just to make both ends meet. As a result, kids become hooked to these devices and miss out on the best things childhood offers, to be able to think about nothing else but play all day and make lasting memories to last them a lifetime.

Is it that bad? And if so, exactly how has this happened? Kids are not actually born with a smartphone in their hand, and if they have one by the time they are 13, someone has bought it for them. And someone has to be cooking their meals while they are in their rooms destroying themselves. Maybe those someones are the generation we should be looking at.

Can’t be any truer. Kids may ask for a smartphone from their parents because they see other kids have them too but it is still the parent’s discretion whether to give into their child’s whims or not. Kids can’t decide for themselves yet and parents should be there to steer their children to the right direction. We all know the cons of too much technology use even to adults. Why allow kids non-stop gadget use knowing it does them more harm than good.

But Twenge is talking about young people, those who have grown up (or perhaps have failed to grow up) in the era of the iPhone. Born between 1995 and 2012, the oldest members of “iGen” were young adolescents when the iPhone was launched in 2007. Three years later came the iPad.

With these devices social media exploded, causing “an earthquake of a magnitude we’ve not seen in a very long time, if ever,” says Twenge, an expert on generational change.

Around 2012 she “noticed abrupt shifts in teen behaviours and emotional states” reflected in national data she was studying, which includes Monitoring the Future, an annual survey funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse. What she saw, in broad strokes, was kids who are homebodies, but disengaged from parents and even friends, unless through incessant social media activity. They are physically safer, but lonelier and in poorer mental health than the generation before them at the same age.

(Via: https://www.mercatornet.com/connecting/view/whats-destroying-the-kids-smartphones-or-distracted-parents/20254)

As guardians and role models of these young minds, we must not only teach them what’s right and wrong but show them how things are done right. Can you remember the happy times of your youth that you badly want to go back to? Let children just be children. Allow them to frolic under the sun and the rain and let them get dirty for all they care. Not only does this gradual desensitization to germs boost their immune system, it also allows them to simply be happy doing things that basically do not make sense but makes them happy for days on end. The answer does not solely lie in technology but in the simple, active, and stress-free life exclusively for kids.

The blog post Is Technology To Blame For The New Breed Of Kids Today? is courtesy of The Mac Zealots Blog

source https://maczealots.com/is-technology-to-blame-for-the-new-breed-of-kids-today/

Back Up Your Computer With Google Drive

Computers can be a joy or a pain depending on the situation and your level of familiarity in using it. Ever since they became more accessible to the public, humans have been able to exploit many of its features and improve their lives. Meanwhile, computers can also make life difficult when something goes wrong and you lack the technical knowledge or skills to remedy the issue or don’t have the money to pay for experts to fix it for you. There are different components of a PC that can get broken throughout its use. Most are pricey and quite hard to replace.

For instance, the hard drive is one of the most important parts yet the most challenging issue you’ll encounter once it gets broken. For starters, data is stored and saved on the hard drive. If you don’t act wisely and back up all your files, a hard drive failure can wipe out all your data in an instant. Of course, you don’t want that to happen. Data backup devices don’t come in cheap either. Fortunately, Google Drive now offers additional data backup option for you without breaking the bank.

Google Drive is one of the most used productivity tools of Google. People use it create backups of their data and make sure that their important data is safe. Now, thanks to a new and upcoming feature, Google will let you backup your entire computer’s storage disk.

Due to this change, instead of files needing to be stored inside the Drive folder, Google will be able to backup the files inside any of your folders. Later this month, on June 28th, Google will launch this feature in the form of a new app named Backup and Sync.

To use this feature, you’ll need to first download the Backup and Sync tool on your Mac or PC. After signing in, you’ll be able to choose the folders that need to be backed up. After doing so, you’ll be able to access Drive across different devices.

In its announcement post, Google announced that Backup and Sync app is focused on the consumer users. The G Suite users can continue using Drive for Mac/PC until the new Drive File Stream is made generally available.

(Via: https://fossbytes.com/google-drive-backup-and-sync-app/)

The cloud continuously provides data storage to the million of computer users all over the world today. Google’s Gmail email service is not only useful but highly efficient too. And as cloud technology continues to dominate modern life, Google Drive (Dropbox’s main competitor) overcomes the many data limitations we have faced in the past and allows us to send larger files to others with relative ease. Best of all, it provides real-time access and storage too for busy bees like you.

Google Drive is getting a new tool called Backup and Sync on June 28, which will allow users to backup their entire computer, including all the files, photos, etc, straight to Google Drive. Essentially Google Drive will turn into a much better and useful addition to the Google suite of apps. This latest ‘Back and Sync’ tool will work with Windows PCs and Macs as well.

According to an official blogpost from Google, the Backup and Sync will ensures users can access their files from anywhere. Photos, documents, pretty much everything can be backed up via this tool. Google says “Backup and Sync is the latest version of Google Drive for Mac/PC, which is now integrated with the Google Photos desktop uploader.” It will also respect the current drive for Mac/PC settings in the Admin console, says the company.

(Via: http://indianexpress.com/article/technology/social/google-drive-will-let-you-back-up-and-sync-your-entire-pc-from-june-28-onwards/)

It’s great news for individual users who often can’t afford additional storage on their own. Data is precious, whatever its nature may be. Whether they are photos, music/songs, videos, documents/files etc., people go to great lengths to save these files for future use. An actual physical back up like external hard drives or flash drives are helpful but they may be more tedious to use and not always reliable. But cloud-based data storage has definitely changed the game and Google Drive is going the extra mile to ensure that its users stay happy is using it and protects their precious data from oblivion at the same time.

Back Up Your Computer With Google Drive Read more on: The Mac Zealots Blog

source https://maczealots.com/back-up-your-computer-with-google-drive/

Back Up Your Computer With Google Drive

Computers can be a joy or a pain depending on the situation and your level of familiarity in using it. Ever since they became more accessible to the public, humans have been able to exploit many of its features and improve their lives. Meanwhile, computers can also make life difficult when something goes wrong and you lack the technical knowledge or skills to remedy the issue or don’t have the money to pay for experts to fix it for you. There are different components of a PC that can get broken throughout its use. Most are pricey and quite hard to replace.

For instance, the hard drive is one of the most important parts yet the most challenging issue you’ll encounter once it gets broken. For starters, data is stored and saved on the hard drive. If you don’t act wisely and back up all your files, a hard drive failure can wipe out all your data in an instant. Of course, you don’t want that to happen. Data backup devices don’t come in cheap either. Fortunately, Google Drive now offers additional data backup option for you without breaking the bank.

Google Drive is one of the most used productivity tools of Google. People use it create backups of their data and make sure that their important data is safe. Now, thanks to a new and upcoming feature, Google will let you backup your entire computer’s storage disk.

Due to this change, instead of files needing to be stored inside the Drive folder, Google will be able to backup the files inside any of your folders. Later this month, on June 28th, Google will launch this feature in the form of a new app named Backup and Sync.

To use this feature, you’ll need to first download the Backup and Sync tool on your Mac or PC. After signing in, you’ll be able to choose the folders that need to be backed up. After doing so, you’ll be able to access Drive across different devices.

In its announcement post, Google announced that Backup and Sync app is focused on the consumer users. The G Suite users can continue using Drive for Mac/PC until the new Drive File Stream is made generally available.

(Via: https://fossbytes.com/google-drive-backup-and-sync-app/)

The cloud continuously provides data storage to the million of computer users all over the world today. Google’s Gmail email service is not only useful but highly efficient too. And as cloud technology continues to dominate modern life, Google Drive (Dropbox’s main competitor) overcomes the many data limitations we have faced in the past and allows us to send larger files to others with relative ease. Best of all, it provides real-time access and storage too for busy bees like you.

Google Drive is getting a new tool called Backup and Sync on June 28, which will allow users to backup their entire computer, including all the files, photos, etc, straight to Google Drive. Essentially Google Drive will turn into a much better and useful addition to the Google suite of apps. This latest ‘Back and Sync’ tool will work with Windows PCs and Macs as well.

According to an official blogpost from Google, the Backup and Sync will ensures users can access their files from anywhere. Photos, documents, pretty much everything can be backed up via this tool. Google says “Backup and Sync is the latest version of Google Drive for Mac/PC, which is now integrated with the Google Photos desktop uploader.” It will also respect the current drive for Mac/PC settings in the Admin console, says the company.

(Via: http://indianexpress.com/article/technology/social/google-drive-will-let-you-back-up-and-sync-your-entire-pc-from-june-28-onwards/)

It’s great news for individual users who often can’t afford additional storage on their own. Data is precious, whatever its nature may be. Whether they are photos, music/songs, videos, documents/files etc., people go to great lengths to save these files for future use. An actual physical back up like external hard drives or flash drives are helpful but they may be more tedious to use and not always reliable. But cloud-based data storage has definitely changed the game and Google Drive is going the extra mile to ensure that its users stay happy is using it and protects their precious data from oblivion at the same time.

The following blog article Back Up Your Computer With Google Drive is republished from The Mac Zealots Blog

source https://maczealots.com/back-up-your-computer-with-google-drive/

Is It Better To Not Share A Bed Or Not?

At the end of a long and tiring day, what almost everyone is looking forward to is to get that much-desired shuteye. Your own sleep drive will likely tell you when your body had enough and it’s time to call it a day (or night). While you hated having to sleep and take naps as a kid, you now understand just how crucial sleep is in order to function like a normal human being most of the time, if not all the time. You don’t have to worry about these issues when you live by yourself and don’t have to share your bed with anyone, not even your siblings but things drastically change once you tie the knot and you now have to share the bed with your partner or spouse.

Once a couple is past the cuddly honeymoon stage, the idiosyncrasies of married life and the daily grind starts to set in and tick some people off. Some people (especially men) suffer from sleep disorders like sleep apnea that can make sleep impossible for your spouse/partner. Other times, others just don’t like sharing their personal space. Now, should you really consider sleeping separately or accept the flaws of your partner? Is it really better to sleep by yourself or share it with a partner? Let’s all find out.

Are you one of the 60% of adults who shares a bed with a partner? Well, chances are it could be affecting your quality of sleep. A new study suggests that the majority of partners encourage behaviours that could actually promote insomnia in their bedmates, increasing anxiety levels and often making pre-existing conditions worse.

In order to examine the relationship between people who suffer from insomnia – a largely individual condition that affects the sufferer's ability to sleep – and their partners, researchers gave questionnaires to 14 women and 17 men whose significant others were participating in a separate clinical trial for the condition. It was found that, whilst these people did not have sleep issues of their own, they often made adjustments in order to accommodate their loved one's insomnia – including amending their own sleep, work and leisure schedules.

Many partners also admitted to trying to be 'helpful' with regard to their bedmates' sleep problems, which – although appreciated by insomniacs – resulted in increased anxiety levels compared to partners who did not offer help. It was also concluded that such interventions were in vain, and generally went against sleep-hygiene guidelines.

(Via: http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/healthy-living/wellbeing/news/a28369/sharing-bed-sleep-health/)

It’s a given that you adjust to your partner’s sleeping routine/habits as you go along. As a result, you often sacrifice your own sleep or its quality in order to soothe your partner and help them sleep better. It is even more prominent for insomniac partners, who consequently contribute to the sleeping issues of their normal spouse.

Results showed that partners trying to make accommodations for their partner’s quality of sleep are more likely to have their own functioning affected, including ‘their own sleep…and life outside of work’.

And though making such accommodations can ‘make the patient feel supported’, it can actually cause anxiety across the board.

Many behaviours contradicted expert advice on how to improve sleep. Nearly 75% of partners encouraged early bedtimes or late rising, which is in ‘direct conflict with the principles of cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia’, researchers say.

42% encouraged ‘doing other things in bed’ like reading, browsing the internet or watching TV, and 35% encouraged ‘naps or caffeine’ – all of which reduce quality of sleep.

(Via: http://metro.co.uk/2017/06/16/sharing-a-bed-could-be-bad-for-your-health-suggests-study-6711529/)

We all need to sleep but we all need to be loved too. These conflicting needs are highlighted once you get married. Since you are already sharing a bed, the choices and habits of one spouse can influence the other. It is nice to have someone to cuddle with but having to put up with the loud snoring, shaking movements and blanket wrestling can deprive you of sleep more often than not.

While there are some initial studies pointing out to the dangers of bed sharing, it also has its perks. It now boils down to your personal preferences. If you love your spouse that you are willing to put up with all his/her little quirks, then there’s no problem with that. But if you value your sleep even more and can’t tolerate getting disturbed in your slumber, then it’s up to you as well to weigh your options and make the difficult decision of choosing between the two if it all boils down to that.

The following article Is It Better To Not Share A Bed Or Not? Find more on: MC

source https://maczealots.com/is-it-better-to-not-share-a-bed-or-not/

Journey To Weight Loss

Losing weight is easier said than done. Many people can agree to this cliché. You’d only realize how hard it is to lose weight when all your weight loss efforts are to no avail considering you’ve tried it all. Obesity is a global problem nowadays. It’s easy to find the culprit when you look around you. Fast foods are the staple when it comes to eating. After all, who has the time to prepare home-cooked meals these days when we are too busy juggling multiple tasks during the day. We end up going home exhausted and the last thing we want to do is to get our hands dirty and exert more energy into preparing and cooking our food.

Processed and artificial foods are everywhere. If you take a trip to the supermarket, you’ll see that the aisles are mostly stacked with cans of processed and preserved foods. There’s only a small section that carries fresh produce like fruits and veggies and most of the time they are also loaded with chemical fertilizers. No wonder people get sick often and die early now. We live in a world that is increasingly becoming artificial and it is obvious on our weight what the world has become. It is the reason people resort to different types of diet to lose weight to regain their figure back.

It doesn’t have a sexy name, nor does it promise to score you a revenge body. But that hasn’t kept the TLC diet from trending big and getting a nutritional thumbs-up from experts. It even came in fourth on US News and World Report’s best diet rankings for 2017, scoring the fourth slot for best diets overall and 18th for best weight-loss diets.

Short for Therapeutic Lifestyle Changes, the TLC diet aims to boost heart health by optimizing your cholesterol levels—and might also result in weight loss, says Maggie Moon, R.D.N., author of The MIND Diet.

Though the plan focuses on food, physical activity, and weight management, the biggest emphasis is on making smart menu choices. 

(Via: http://www.womenshealthmag.com/weight-loss/tlc-diet)

Many would argue that the issue of obesity depends on the person but we can’t deny that access and the price of food are big factors too. You end up spending more by buying healthy and organic food than a popular fast food combo. It’s just one of those hurdles that prevent many of us from leading a healthy life that may be the key to our weight loss.

People want a magic diet, but those don't change behavior, Ott says. Instead of fixating on carbs, as with the currently popular Paleo diet, fixate on behaviors. Think of how you can manage stress without food. Examine the messages you send yourself.

"Our thoughts define our reality," Ott says. "Telling yourself that you've failed before, and therefore will never succeed, is not reality. Instead, try: Yes, I've failed in the past, but I'm approaching it in a new way, with a new mindset, so it's likely I'll succeed."

(Via: http://www.chicagotribune.com/lifestyles/health/sc-weight-loss-tips-health-0503-20170502-story.html)

If you are struggling with your weight, you need to remember that no amount of dieting can give you the results you want. You’ll only plunge deeper and deeper into despair if you keep on setting yourself with unrealistic goals. Weight loss shouldn’t be your main goal. Your focus should be about healthy living because you’ll be able to drop all those excess pounds if your body is in a better state of health.

Experts say that while people can lose weight on a vegan diet, it's not a guarantee. (Also, not that gaining weight is inherently a bad thing, but eating all you want—even if it's healthy—can still affect how much you weigh).

If your goal is to lose weight, the process involves many more aspects than just what you eat and whether you follow a plant-based diet. Sure, exercise is a factor, too, but so many other things come into play. Components like stress and sleep, along with things you can't fully control, like health conditions and hormonal fluctuations, can play a big role in your weight as well.

(Via: http://www.self.com/story/vegan-diet-weight-loss)

While it is healthy to eat lots of fruits and vegetables, adopting a vegan diet isn’t the answer to your weight woes. What you need is a balanced diet with all the right portions of fiber, meat, grains, carbs etc. for a healthy and fit body. Totally excluding a food group like fats aren't the answer because our body needs them too, only in smaller amounts. That is the biggest misconception most people have about weight loss these days. If you start adopting a healthy and balanced diet, you’ll soon see a new and healthier you transform right before your eyes without going through drastic diets that take its toll on your health and your psyche.

The following article Journey To Weight Loss was originally published to https://maczealots.com

source https://maczealots.com/journey-to-weight-loss/

The Future Has Gone Virtual

Virtual reality is no longer a dream but a reality of our times. What started as a gaming technology is finding itself more useful in different aspects of life too. The most popular way of enjoying virtual reality is through virtual-reality headsets that let you enjoy a 3D experience as if you were there too yourself. Now, who says these tech advancements can’t make our lives more exciting?

Just what is virtual reality? It actually is just a combination of the definition of both words, virtual and reality. Virtual simply means near whereas reality is our personal experience as human beings. In short, a virtual reality experience is a digital experience that is almost near reality.

Throngs of people flapped imaginary wings, paddled invisible canoes and took aim at shapeless digital foes, all courtesy of this year’s Consumer Virtual Reality (CVR) conference.

Now in its second year, the May 6-to-8 conference brought together tech enthusiasts of all kinds to embrace all things virtual.

With interest steadily growing, the CVR conference is poised to become one of the venue’s fastest-growing events as Vancouver takes centre stage in the virtual and augmented reality space.

“Last year, we were expecting about 1,200 to 1,400 people, and we ended up overselling and getting roughly 3,000,” said Dan Burgar, director of business development at Vancouver-based virtual reality (VR) company Archiact and president of the VR/AR Association.

(Via: https://www.biv.com/article/2017/5/virtual-reality-gets-comfortable-vancouver-venue/)

As the technology advances and becomes more accessible mainstream, more and more people become curious about it and are even willing to try it themselves. These gaming virtual-reality headsets are even selling like hot pancakes in kids and teens that are tech-savvy.

Virtual reality can be lonely.

For all of the overwrought promises about the futuristic technology connecting people, it's a pretty isolating experience. The hardware shuts out any view or sound of people physically near you, not many people own headsets yet, and interactions inside virtual settings are still limited.

Google (GOOG) is working on new features that could fix some of that. Unfortunately, it might involve hanging out in the VR version of a YouTube comments section.

The company announced the next steps for its virtual and augmented reality technology on Thursday at its annual I/O developers conference in Mountain View, California.

Google is releasing a major update to its virtual reality platform, Daydream. It's the software that will run on its own Daydream View goggles as well as the standalone headsets that third parties like Lenovo are creating later this year. Google also makes the Daydream View, a low-tech VR headset that uses a smartphone.

(Via: http://money.cnn.com/2017/05/18/technology/gadgets/google-vr-updates/)

The truth is that any obsession with technology tends to alienate the person from almost everyone and everything in his surroundings. They get lost in their virtual world and spend hours on end doing their thing on the computer and miss out on creating relationships and strengthening bonds between family and friends. It might be the same thing with virtual reality. Fortunately, Google got this covered as indicated in the article.

"I’m afraid [virtual reality] can be too good, in the sense of being an experience that people want to spend a huge amount of time in,” said Hanke at an industry conference last month, as reported by GamesIndustry. “I mean I already have concerns about my kids playing too much Minecraft, and that’s a wonderful game."

Hanke continued: “We’re human beings and there’s a lot of research out there that shows we’re actually a lot happier when we get exercise, when we go outside – and outside in nature in particular. I think it’s a problem for us as a society if we forgo that and spend all of time in a Ready Player One-style VR universe."

(Via: http://time.com/4780507/virtual-reality-vr-problems/)

This is one sad reality we have to acknowledge about virtual reality. Humans are social animals. It has been proven throughout history. We feel depressed and perform poorly in isolation. Unfortunately, the technology that we have now and are likely to dominate our future does just that. We get lost in our little virtual bubble that we become oblivious to what’s going on around us. We try to connect with people from our past and even to strangers but we miss out on living in the now with the people who means a lot to us because our times are consumed by our preoccupation with these tech gadgets and the Internet of Things.

Fortunately, they are still optional technologies right now. The thing with technology is that they only become bad depending on how you use it. Technology can either be your friend or foe, so make sure you use it right. Immerse yourself with the right technology and use it in moderation and you’ll be able to enjoy the best of both worlds without getting out of touch with reality.

The Future Has Gone Virtual Read more on: The Mac Zealots Blog

source https://maczealots.com/the-future-has-gone-virtual/

Fitness Can Be Smart Too

Health and fitness are all the rage now. Everything around us is increasingly becoming artificial (even the food we eat) and our health is greatly compromised as we imbibe this modern lifestyle. Obesity is rising faster than we can get rid of the extra fats and calories we put on from our last meal. Not only is obesity a health risk but it also messes up a person’s confidence and shatters their self-image. It’s not a good thing nowadays where people are often bullied for their physical appearance and cyber bullying does more than damage than we give it credit for.

Organic markets are becoming more popular again. People are trying to go back to the basics and to how life was lived back then in an attempt to protect our health and well-being. It all starts with what you eat. Movement or leading an active life also plays a big part in getting that fit and toned body you so desperately want. Unfortunately, living healthy is proving to be more expensive than thriving on junks and preserved foods all the days of your life. There is still something you can do, though – exercise. Fortunately, our modern technology introduced more than a handful of handy devices that can help us achieve and maintain our good health when being healthy is no longer the norm.

Smartfit Inc products combine brain fitness with body fitness, improving physical, sensory, and cognitive performance creating a fun, multi-sensory experience for all ages and abilities. 

Their SMARTfit exercise technology utilizes the latest in Brain Body Exercise Science to bring you a unique solution that improves mental and physical fitness.

SMARTfit found a way to capture the benefits of sports into a modern form that can engage everyone.

They started by looking at the key benefits of sports that were lacking in the average gym and came up with the most important finding: the Hebbian Theory, neurons that fire together, wire together. Neuroplasticity, the brain’s ability to re-wire itself in response to sensory experiences, is now accepted science thanks to Eric Kandel, Nobel Prize winner in 2011.  

Added to this, they also discovered found that research confirms that exercise is good for the brain because BDNF, a hormone often described as ‘miracle grow for the brain’, is produced during exercise and is responsible for promoting the development of neurons. 

(Via: http://www.kristv.com/story/35494132/smartfit-improves-mental-and-physical-fitness)

Who says electronics can’t help you get fit. Many people are bothered by their weight and appearance that they turn to technology to help them start their weight loss journey when it was likely an obsession with gadgets as well and preference to eating fast food that made them obese in the first place. SMARTfit is just one of those emerging exercise technologies you never knew you needed until it came along.

Plenty of companies have come along with attempts to contest Fitbit’s thrown, but there’s only one company that can lay claim to the fitness tracker crown. Bottom line: if you want the comfort in knowing you’ve got the best fitness band in the business, you’re going to buy a Fitbit. No other company can match Fitbit’s blend of style, simplicity, and functionality, and right now is the perfect time to experience all that for yourself.

Amazon has a big limited-time sale going on the five best fitness bands Fitbit has ever made, including the best-selling Fitbit Blaze Smart Fitness Watch and the Fitbit Charge 2 Heart Rate + Fitness Wristband. 

(Via: https://bgr.com/2017/05/04/fitbit-blaze-sale-charge-2-amazon/)

Fitbit probably pioneered how smart gadgets are used as a fitness tool. There are various Fitbit devices you can now choose from for fitness such as this handy watch. The Fitbit Blaze Smart Fitness Watch boasts of various features that make it stand out from the crowd. First off, you can sync it with your smartphone or other smart gadgets via Bluetooth and many other features that help you stay fit. No need to worry about it not working once you get sweaty and all from working out hard because it is water resistant.

Just remember that these gadgets are just tools to help you become more aware of the state of your health. The will to make such a positive change in your life still starts from deep within you and nobody else can make you do something you don’t want to. Having a healthy body is more than you can ask for, so do your part in caring for your health and body before it succumbs to an illness that can no longer be cured as you age.

The following blog post Fitness Can Be Smart Too Read more on: maczealots.com

source https://maczealots.com/fitness-can-be-smart-too/

The Youth Should Be More Involved In Environmental Protection

The environment is suffering for the longest time and it needs all the help it can get. People are obsessed with so many nonsense issues these days that we fail to realize what should really matter most to all of us. The adults of today failed to maintain the lushness and richness of the environment for the future generation. It’s the reason we are now facing threats like climate change, global warming, and the rapid rising of the sea level, for instance.

The youth makes up a big chunk of today’s population. It is but wise and practical to get them involved in saving the environment because it is their future we are talking about. If they don’t act now and do their part in preserving what’s little left of the wild and basically the natural environment around us, the only place we all call home may eventually perish along with us. Of course, we don’t want that to happen. We want the human species to thrive and continue dominating the world. We can only do that if we’ll be able to pull off a miracle and stop the continued deterioration of the environment for the sake of everyone living on the planet, most especially the young ones who barely grasp the concept of living and surviving in an increasingly inhospitable planet.

Eighty per cent of Nigerian youths lack basic environmental education.  And 70 per cent of young people around the world do not care about the environment they live in.

The bitter truth won’t be found in data logged in some computers or books stacked in libraries.

The clear confirmation that we are far from nature stares us in the face: the gully erosion that swept a whole community recently, the daily depletion of the ozone layer and its cancerous effects

Then there is the air pollution that annually chokes millions of children to death around the world, the mindless exploitation of wildlife, and the list is endless. Indeed, we are disconnected from nature.

Today, how many parents will have their kids tend a garden, prune a flower, plant a tree, go  a-fishing in a local river, climb mountains, engage in environmental education or even at the least, take a long evening walk across the field? How many?

(Via: http://tribuneonlineng.com/role-youths-protecting-environment/)

As young as they may seem, the youth must learn the concept of environment protection and be made aware of the consequences of their actions like haphazardly throwing trash, abusing natural resources, harming the animals, etc. They should learn that some mistakes are irreversible and it’s the planet that consequently suffers and us eventually.

The Interface Development Interventions (IDIS) expressed alarm over the result of a survey conducted by the University of Mindanao’s Institute of Popular Opinion showing a low interest of the youth in Davao City in environment.

“Everyone should know the impacts of climate change and everyone should contribute in addressing it, especially students. They should contribute in mitigation and adaptation measures, in their own capacity,” IDIS acting executive director Chinkie Pelino-Golle told MindaNews on Monday.

The IPO survey called “Davao Youth Situationaer” surveyed 264 youth from May 24 to 30.

It showed that only 1.1 percent of them are affiliated with environmental groups, the lowest among those engaged in sports and recreation (49%),  church and religious groups (29%), civic organizations (20%), and socio-political activities (1.2%).

Golle said she is disheartened to know only a few youth are engaged in environment organization or part of an environmental cause.

(Via: http://www.mindanews.com/environment/2017/06/youths-low-interest-in-environment-alarms-group/)

It is but morally right for the youth to take the initiative in caring for the environment but enforcing this responsibility should also be taught in schools where children spend most of their time. Teachers should continually remind these young minds that the planet is in a truly bad shape right now and it needs all the help it can get. If we don’t all unite, more species will continue to perish from the face of the planet and the time may even come that it will probably be our turn to disappear because of the havoc and destruction we have caused on our way to progress.

The Youth Should Be More Involved In Environmental Protection Read more on: maczealots.com

source https://maczealots.com/the-youth-should-be-more-involved-in-environmental-protection/

Security Upgrade: A Must For All Computer Systems

We all know that no computer system is invincible from outside threats, especially from that of cyber hackers. And nowadays, we have witnessed our fair share of cyber attacks. And here we are thinking that terror attacks are the only thing that’s threatening our existence but we are so badly mistaken. Since the advent of advanced technology and more people share important data and documents virtually, cyber security is an issue faced by many almost on a daily basis.

It is safe to say that a big majority of homes now own at least one computing device aside from the myriad of handy smart gadgets each family member own. Aside from sending emails and files to one another through this virtual network, online banking has also been growing in popularity. There are just far too many computing vulnerabilities that lure hackers with enough know-how to hack systems and disrupt the order in our modern world with the main goal of milking money from as many people as they can.

Amidst reports of 1.44 lakh cyber attacks in India in last three years, the government is mulling upgrading its security system by installing additional features in its computer systems.

The issue was discussed threadbare at a meeting convened by the home ministry and attended by representatives of security agencies and various ministries and departments.

Under the new system, the ministry or department concerned will be made responsible for the security of computer sys tem in the respective ministry and department, the home ministry may be made overall in-charge of the cyber security.

(Via: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/government-mulls-upgrading-security-of-its-computer-systems/articleshow/59130475.cms)

Cyber crimes like phishing, ransomware, website intrusion, etc. are indeed a growing pain to society. Computer systems aren’t secure enough to fend off cyber attackers who keep on intruding systems because they earn lots of money from these invasions. Just recently, the ransomware “Wannacry” caused mass hysteria as computers suddenly became inaccessible and a ludicrous amount of ransom in the form of bitcoins were asked from the unfortunate victims. Unfortunately, big corporations, government institutions, and individual consumers have all been affected.

North Korean hackers may have been behind the WannaCry ransomware attack that crippled the NHS last month, British security experts have said. 

The National Cyber Security Centre has led an international investigation into the attack, which is estimated to have affected more than 300,000 computers in over 150 countries worldwide. 

Security sources at the government body told the BBC that a North Korean outfit called the Lazarus Group may have been behind the attack, which knocked out computer systems at 47 NHS trusts across the country last month.

Computers at the trusts showed a message saying their data had been encrypted and it would only be unlocked when they paid a ransom in bitcoins - a digital currency - into a specific account.

(Via: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/north-korea-nhs-ransomware-hack-wannacry-cyber-attack-national-cyber-security-centre-a7792851.html)

As controversial as it may seem, nothing has been proven yet although others can’t help but raise their eyebrows once they piece together one bit of information with another. The point here is that no one is safe regardless of the antivirus or firewall you are using. Your best bet is to backup your files, so you save yourself from all the stress and anxiety an issue like data loss may trigger. Regular updates also help a lot since these updates often have the fix to many of the bugs that have been bugging you for a while.

Meanwhile, bigger organizations should boost their cyber security measures to protect their systems from these hacks especially that thousands, if not millions, rely on them to work efficiently all the time. A fine example is the UK’s NHS Trust program. Patient’s treatments and medications were put on hold when computers in many UK hospitals can’t be accessed for hours on end. Hence, the only way to fight these troublemakers is to be as good as them in this cyber game even if it means revamping current computer systems to make them 100% fool-proof against cyber attacks.

Security Upgrade: A Must For All Computer Systems Read more on: The Mac Zealots Blog

source https://maczealots.com/security-upgrade-a-must-for-all-computer-systems/

What’s The CIA Got To Do With Apple’s MacBook?

Apple is the undisputed leader in the iOS and MacOS technology that were later soon adapted by Google with their very own Android version. But Apple’s got a certain touch of class to it, far from the wide-range Android-based smartphones, computers, and laptops sold by different phone and PC manufacturers. Even with computers and laptops, many people covet those sleek and fancy MacBooks and iMacs.

However, some covert controversy surrounds Apple’s MacBooks and it involves the Central Intelligence Agency. Rumor has it that the agency infected fresh from the factory MacBook units for some major spying right under our noses.

The Central Intelligence Agency is able to permanently infect an Apple Mac computer so that even reinstalling the operating system will not erase the bug, according to documents published by WikiLeaks.

In its second release allegedly from the CIA's arsenal of hacking tools, WikiLeaks also said that it appears that since 2008 the US spy agency has been able to insert it bugs onto new and unused iPhones by intervening in Apple's supply and distribution network.

The release follows the initial publication on 9 March by the anti-secrecy group of thousands of pages of instructions and code from what it called the entire CIA arsenal of hacking tools.

The documents are generally believed to be genuine, although the CIA has not acknowledged this.

(Via: https://www.rte.ie/news/2017/0323/862109-wikileaks/)

If this is true, this has clearly broken the trust placed by consumers on Apple and even on the government. Consumers are being spied upon without them knowing and it is a clear violation of their right to privacy, among others.

The CIA’s user guide for Screwdriver, released as part of WikiLeaks’ ‘Dark Matter’ drop, describes the tool as “a mechanism for executing code on peripheral devices while a Mac laptop or desktop is starting up.” Ordinarily, an Apple Firmware password would prevent any changes being made during the startup phase.

However, Screwdriver allows the CIA to infect the very core of the computer making it a stealthy tool undetectable by antivirus software.

The malicious code, implanted by the Screwdriver, attacks the computer's Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI), the firmware that loads the computer's operating system (OS). EFI resides outside of the hard disk space on the machine, making it much harder to detect.

The implant code is stored on the firmware of an Apple Thunderbolt-to-Ethernet adapter, a small compact device used for transmitting data (similar to a USB cable), and when it’s plugged into the Thunderbolt port on Macs, it infects them.

Once inserted into “any Mac laptop or desktop with a Thunderbolt port," the implant code then scans all internal and external hard drives looking for a volume with a specific name - FILER. If this is found, the code will execute, allowing the CIA to take control of the computer, potentially monitoring and transmitting everything that occurs on the machine.

(Via: https://www.rt.com/viral/382093-wikileaks-cia-apple-sonic-screwdriver/)

How can the CIA get away with something like this? And how can Apple allow the CIA to do this to their customers – people who paid a dear price to own a shiny Apple MacBook? So, what does the company have to say about this matter?

On March 7, WikiLeaks released thousands of documents it said were from the CIA, revealing tools the agency used to infiltrate smartphones, computers, televisions and other electronic devices. After concerns that the document dump opened up the devices to additional security risks, WikiLeaks head Julian Assange said he would contact the makers of the affected devices to share information with them.

Apple said it has not received information from WikiLeaks “that isn’t in the public domain.” In the statement the company sent, it also said: “We have not negotiated with Wikileaks for any information. We have given them instructions to submit any information they wish through our normal process under our standard terms.”

The company added: “We are tireless defenders of our users’ security and privacy, but we do not condone theft or coordinate with those that threaten to harm our users.”

(Via: http://www.siliconbeat.com/2017/03/24/apple-latest-alleged-cia-hacks-iphones-macs-old-fixed/)

These are serious allegations hurled by Wikileaks to both Apple and the CIA. Wikileaks also caught the attention of everyone with all their exposés last election and more people now actually believe in them. If Apple’s new MacBooks indeed come with bugs, then they should do something about or take responsibility for such a crime together with the CIA.

The blog post What’s The CIA Got To Do With Apple’s MacBook? is republished from The Mac Zealots Blog

source https://maczealots.com/whats-the-cia-got-to-do-with-apples-macbook/

How Prepared Is America For Disasters During The Trump Era

Over the years, we have witnessed out fair share of disasters – both natural and man-made. These disasters have taken lives and displaced many, even leaving them scarred for life. While the country tries its best to respond as efficiently and effectively possible when disaster strikes, other factors can get in the way of public service.

Although politics should be far from everyone’s mind when talking about disaster preparedness, we can’t ignore the fact that it plays a major role in the creation of helpful policies and in ensuring that these agencies and services get the funding they need.

The executive order on climate change President Donald Trump announced Tuesday afternoon is an explicit attack on President Barack Obama’s efforts to fight climate change.

But it also implicitly denies we’re at risk from climate change in the first place.

As Bloomberg reports, the order — which you can read here — rolls back Obama’s executive orders and guidances that the government consider the costs of climate change–related disasters in planning and policymaking.

This is backward. If climate change is real — regardless of the cause — why not prepare for the costs and damage of it? We can already see the impacts. In January, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration told Vox that abnormally high tides in parts of the country have turned “from a rare event into a recurrent and disruptive problem." There’s a clear need, the agency wrote, “to support preparedness planning ... about future changes in sea level and associated coastal risks.”

The Obama administration made supporting preparedness a priority. And Trump is doing away with that priority.

(Via: http://www.vox.com/energy-and-environment/2017/3/28/15087568/trump-climate-executive-order-disaster-weather)

Threats of disaster will remain a constant reminder for all of us to be prepared all the time. From our own homes to the schools and offices, we should have a disaster preparedness plan in place. And we have no choice but to always remain on our toes as global warming and climate changes mess up with our weather systems and make natural disasters worse than they did in the past.

That proposal is "the cornerstone for adaptation planning throughout the government," according to Christy Goldfuss, managing director for the White House’s Council on Environmental Quality under Obama and now a vice president at the Center for American Progress.

Its effects ranged from the mundane to the radical. For example, the order directed the General Services Administration, which manages federal buildings, to make sure the government wasn’t signing long-term leases in areas likely to get inundated with floods, Goldfuss said. It also allowed different federal agencies to coordinate more far-reaching programs, like the relocation of communities most threatened by climate change.

But there are also some who do not share the same sentiments as President Trump and acknowledges the threat of climate change as something that is real and even more dangerous than what the administration gives it credit for.

Senator Dick Durbin, the ranking Democrat on the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, called Trump’s decision "a security disaster."

"Climate change is doing more damage to American military assets than any bombing raid," Durbin said in a telephone interview. "General Mattis is a realist when it comes to national threats. I hope that in a quiet moment he’ll pull the president aside and explain the reality of climate change and national security."

Former officers echoed that criticism. David Titley, a retired rear admiral, said the national security risk was beyond doubt.

"The Department of Defense will be operating in an environment fundamentally changed by climate," Titley, now a member of the advisory board at the Center for Climate and Security in Washington, said in an email. "Our bases and training ranges will be at increasing risk, and conflicts that may have remained as regional brush fires may burst into international crises."

(Via: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-03-27/trump-said-to-toss-obama-s-orders-to-prepare-for-extreme-weather)

President Trump may not see the value and importance of addressing climate change issues but we are still hoping he will not compromise everyone’s safety by pulling out funding for these agencies that prepare for such eventualities. He may live in his high tower and feel comforted by his millions of properties, but in the end, they won’t be able to protect him in case Mother Nature gets fed up and unleash her fury to mankind.

Climate change may be a novel concept for him but as the highest elected official in the land, he must take all threats seriously and enforce security and protective measures to prepare for any possible disasters. By ensuring the safety and security of the public from all sorts of threats, that’s the best way for him to repay the trust entrusted to him by many – making his presidential win possible against all odds.

How Prepared Is America For Disasters During The Trump Era was first seen on The Mac Zealots Blog

source https://maczealots.com/how-prepared-is-america-for-disasters-during-the-trump-era/