MORE SELF-DRIVING CAR UPDATES

Lyft can now test self-driving cars in California I wouldn't count on one picking you up next week, but it's still a big step forward. 

Lyft is one key step closer to testing autonomous vehicles on California roads. Lyft has been granted a permit from the state of California to test autonomous vehicles on public roads,  , according to the California Department of Motor Vehicles website , which tracks the companies that have received the permit. To date, 45 companies including Lyft have received the permit. The ride-hailing giant joins a number of other big names in this space. Several automakers have already received the permit, including Volkswagen , General Motors and Tesla . There are also a bunch of suppliers testing their platforms, including Waymo, Uber and Apple . Enlarge Image Even though the car may be capable of driving itself, there will still be a safety driver up front, just in case. Lyft But Lyft won't be going it alone. The company announced in September that it would team up with startup Drive.ai to deploy an autonomous solution. Drive.ai already has its permit, and while there is no specific timeline for when a self-driving Lyft may arrive at your door, its pilot program should kick off in the near future. Lyft might be late to the game compared to its biggest competitor, Uber, but the company is still forging some important partnerships as it seeks to catch up. Lyft has announced just a handful of partnerships in the self-driving space, but they're big ones. Like, General Motors and Waymo big. .. 

NOISE-SOMETHING WORTH CONSIDERING

While old age does play a factor, over 1 billion young people have a high risk of damaging their ears earlier due to the toxic levels of noise around them.  

What did you say? If you have any wise, aging friends or loved ones in your life, you have probably been asked to speak up once or twice. While you lovingly oblige them, you may want to stop and think about your own ears. Take a look at what you might be doing to damage your own hearing right now. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about 360 million people worldwide are suffering with a disabling hearing loss, including 32 million children. While old age does play a factor, over 1 billion young people have a high risk of damaging their ears earlier due to the toxic levels of noise around them. Here are several top sources causing this problem: 1. Your job While work in general is not a real cause for hearing loss, the noise involved might be. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), repeat or prolonged exposure to sounds above 85 decibels can damage your hearing permanently. DO I HAVE ALZHEIMER'S? 5 QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF To put this noise level in perspective, a normal conversation is about 60 decibels, the noise from heavy traffic is around 85 and guns or firecrackers are at a higher 150. The longer you are exposed to these high-frequency sounds, the more your hearing can be impaired. For many, this long exposure happens on the job. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, normal on-the-job tasks are already above safe levels. For instance, a jack hammer from 3 feet away is rated at 120 decibels, and even a large truck operates at 90 decibels. As a general rule, if you have to yell to be heard at work, you should be protecting your ears. Construction workers, farmers, airline ground workers and military soldiers are all at risk because of their jobs. 2. Your music Following along the same lines as your noisy job is your noisy entertainment. In fact, WHO says that the 1 billion young adults in danger of hearing loss have that danger because of personal audio devices or entertainment venues. Depending on the choice of entertainment, you could be listening to sounds that are 100 decibels or more, a level only safe for a few minutes. According to WHO, you should limit your tunes to just 60 minutes total within a day. In addition, stay away from noisy venues or wear earplugs. 3. Your medicine Have you ever suspected your medication as a cause for your hearing problems? They can be, and experts even have a name for them -- ototoxic drugs. These medicines commonly damage hearing by impairing the inner ear: Some antibiotics Diuretics used to treat high blood pressure and heart failure High doses of aspirin or ibuprofen Cancer-treating medicines Older people and patients taking more than one of these medicines have a higher risk of experiencing hearing loss. You may notice symptoms like ringing in the ears and vertigo rather quickly after starting the medication. If this happens, let your doctor know right away so that he can work out an alternative. 4. Your smoking habit As you might know, smoking cigarettes can raise your blood pressure. It does so by constricting the blood vessels, narrowing passage for blood to be pumped through your body. The main culprit for this effect is nicotine. CAN YOUR TONGUE TELL IF YOU'RE SICK? What you might not know is that this constricting can have effects on other areas of the body too, including your ears. As you smoke, the blood vessels in the ears get constricted slightly, and this can lead to a decrease in hearing over time. In one UK study published in 2014, the researchers confirmed their suspicions on the topic after studying over 150,000 adults. For both current smokers and those exposed to secondary smoke, the researchers found a decrease in participants' hearing ability. This fact is just one more reason why you might want to reconsider before pulling out another cigarette. 5. Your car or bike Last, you might be damaging your ears just by driving around your fancy car. Traffic in general can produce a high amount of noise, but when you put the top down on your treasured convertible, you are actually increasing that level.  According to one study of the noise levels in convertibles, drivers may be exposing themselves to levels between 82 and 92 decibels. At the maximum noted in the study, drivers even went as high as 99 decibels, certainly outside recommendations for safe hearing. While the convertible study was very small, experts are concerned about the dangers of wind noise at high speeds. In a recent study on cyclists, researchers found that the athletes were experiencing 85 decibels even at normal 15 mph speeds. Once they reached downhill speeds, they were dealing with levels over 100 decibels. How to Prevent Hearing Loss Now that you know what you might be doing to damage your hearing, you have the responsibility of protecting it. Try these ideas to keep your noise level in check: Turn down your smartphone. Whether you're talking on the phone, watching a video or listening to Spotify, you should never turn your smartphone on its maximum volume. Some smartphones even have a feature that will warn you if you are using it at an unsafe level. Get earplugs. Whenever you go somewhere with or do something around loud noises, you should value your ears. You can even find some more sophisticated-looking earplugs, rather than the neon colors you normally see on construction workers. Choose noise-cancelling headphones. Whatever you do, stay away from earbuds that aren't meant to cancel out ambient noise. Instead, spend a few extra dollars on headphones that will block other noises so that you are not turning up the volume. Take a break. Once you have listened to music for 60 minutes, take a break. Give yourself space in between the noise to let your hearing get back to normal. Likewise, if you have gone to a loud venue, spend several days in more quiet surroundings. Get away. If the loud noise around you is out of your control, get away from it. The more distance between you and the noise, the less harmful it will be to your hearing. Without meaning to, you are probably causing damage to your hearing in one or more of these ways. The fact is that your hearing is something you cannot get back once it's gone. Protect it now, and you will be thankful later.

A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT PROSPECTIVE ON CHRISTMAS

I love Christmas. So much so, my family has placed strict limits on how soon I can start listening to Christmas music. My son once wrote a short essay for school, titled "The Attack of The Early-Christmas Dad. But while I love Christmas - the celebration of God's love for us - I do not like the materialistic orgy it has become. It reminds me of a quote attributed to Gandhi: "I like your Christ. I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ. Even if Gandhi didn't actually speak those words, they certainly ring true. Especially at this time of year, when Americans - Christian and heathen alike - will each spend an average of $660 on gifts and then return $250-plus billion worth of them, including nearly one-third of all online purchases, right after Christmas. I realize that by questioning the tradition of gift-giving, I risk coming off like Luther Krank, Tim Allen's character in "Christmas With the Kranks. One Christmas, he tells everyone - family, friends, co-workers - he's not going to be giving or accepting any gifts, whereupon ... well, let's just say, it doesn't go well for him . I've avoided Luther's unpleasant fate by being more diplomatic, gently spreading the word among family and friends that I really don't need or want anything for Christmas, except their continued love. And I'm not alone. According to a new Harris poll, seven out of ten Americans say they'd happily give up gift-giving, if their loved ones went along with it . According to the same survey, nearly half of us feel "pressured" to spend more on gifts than we can afford. Moreover, NerdWallet says that 56 percent of Americans went into debt buying gifts last Christmas; and many - including 24 percent of millennials - are this very minute still digging out of the hole . I didn't always feel this virtuously about the celebration of Christ's birth. As a correspondent at ABC News, I loved receiving the network's generous Christmastime gifts. One year, when Nightline's executive producer, Tom Bettag, sent me a holiday card explaining that, in lieu of a gift, the show had made a charitable donation in my name, I was bummed. I felt cheated. This many years later, I prize Tom's spirit of giving and try emulating it. For instance, my family and I keep an ear out all year for specific needs in our community that might make for meaningful Christmas presents - such as a cord of firewood for a neighbor who uses a potbelly stove to keep her house warm all winter. I asked some of my beloved colleagues for their favorite alternatives to mindless gift-giving, and here's what they said: * (Joan Lunden) We give promissory notes for kindnesses we're happy to provide. "Bosses could bring in a fitness instructor or massage therapist to the office ... the gift of health to their employees. * (Chaz Corzine, Michael W. Smith's manager) From the St. Jude Christmas Gift Catalog, we give things "like a chemo treatment for a child in need. * (Dr. Ted Baehr, founder of Movieguide ) We give our friends a full-blown Christmas service at our house. To which my friends and family add: * We encourage our kids and grandkids to give us the gift of time together. * We send letters to people in our lives, describing things we admire about them. * We host special dinners for friends, to share the love and lights of Christmas. * We contribute to charities that help the families of prisoners. * We give the gift of clean water to people who don't have it. If more of us bought into these suggestions instead of today's holiday rat race, we might make believers of Gandhi-like skeptics. More importantly, we'd be helping put Christ back into Christmas. 

CHRISTMAS IS COMING

We hope you all had a great Thanksgiving and are ready for the fall and Christmas just around the corner.  Good luck getting exactly what you want for Christmas.  Happy shopping and decorting.  Don;t eat too much.

KEEPING UP WITH THE DRIVERLESS CARS

Uber orders 24,000 Volvos for self-driving program Volvo will deliver the vehicles between 2019 and 2021.  

Back in 2016, Volvo and Uber partnered up to bring self-driving vehicles to the ride-hailing giant's fleet. Now, Uber is going all-in on that partnership with a big order. Uber has agreed to purchase approximately 24,000 Volvo XC90 SUVs , the automaker announced Monday. The vehicles won't be self-driving directly from the factory -- rather, Uber will outfit the vehicles with its own hardware and software that will make the vehicles capable of operating without a driver. You'd better get used to seeing these.  Humans have been part of Uber's strategy from the start, but the company has never been shy about its plans to create a fleet of driverless vehicles for ride hailing. At the absolute minimum, self-driving vehicles are far less complicated than humans, who demand things like gender-equal pay and not being classified as contractors . This marks a big step in Uber's plans, which have been met with resistance from several angles. In addition to the aforementioned legal battles, Uber is currently embroiled in a lawsuit with Waymo , which alleges that Uber stole valuable trade secrets and used them to develop its own autonomous platform. Uber vehemently denies the allegations, going so far as to separate itself from the individual who allegedly stole those secrets. Uber also had some trouble with its first batch of self-driving Volvo XC90s. After bringing the vehicles to San Francisco for testing, the California DMV claimed Uber was acting illegally and eventually rescinded the vehicles' registrations. Uber moved its operations to Arizona, but it did eventually return to San Francisco , albeit using the vehicles for mapping purposes only. Speaking of Waymo, the Google spinoff has similar plans to Uber. Waymo already has an agreement in place with Fiat Chrysler to use the Pacifica minivan as a base for its self-driving platform. Waymo announced earlier this month that its Phoenix-area public pilot would no longer use safety drivers , which is still a requirement in other states. The agreement isn't exclusive, which means Uber is free to order vehicles from other manufacturers. Volvo isn't joined to Uber's hip, either -- in fact, the automaker said it would use the same base vehicle supplied to Uber in its quest to develop its own fully autonomous car, which it expects to release in 2021. 

THANKSGIVING

What are you thankful for?  We should be grateful for living in the greatest country on earth.  God has showered His blessings on us and even though we may be living through difficult times in our own lives at times, we are still very blessed.  Take a moment, today, to give thanks for the things you hold dearest to you. 

 

 

                              HAPPY

                  THANKSGIVING

TREATING A COLD

Stoke the furnace when you're fighting a cold. 

It's cold and flu season. Do we feed a cold, starve a fever? Or is it starve a cold, feed a fever? What if we have a cold and a fever at the same time? And where did all the confusion come from? It may have started with "fasting is a great remedy of fever," a quote from a reference manual written in 1574 by John Withals, an Englishman who wrote an English-Latin dictionary for schoolboys. The belief was that eating food may generate warmth during a cold, and that avoiding food my help us cool down when overheated. But recent science says that theory is wrong and it really should be "feed a cold, feed a fever. When the body fights an illness it needs energy. Eating can help the body generate heat, but so can wearing extra clothing or getting under a blanket. A fever is part of the immune system's attempt to beat bugs. Raising our temperature increases our metabolism and results in more calories burned. For each degree our temperature rises, the energy demand increases, so taking in calories is important. In an article on the website of Scientific American magazine (scientificamerican.com) titled "Fact or Fiction? : Feed a Cold, Starve a Fever," Dr. William Schaffner, of Vanderbilt University's School of Medicine, says that when you're sick, "you have to make yourself drink fluids, even though all you want to do is collapse. Fever dehydrates the system in part through increased sweating. Replacing fluids is critical to helping the body battle infection. Dehydration makes mucus in the nose, throat and lungs dry up, which can clog sinuses and respiratory tubes. It becomes difficult to cough, which is how we expel mucus and the germs it contains. Staying hydrated helps keep the mucus running, which is a natural defense. Avoid caffeine and alcohol. Caffeine enhances dehydration, as does alcohol, which is also a depressant. Chicken soup doesn't possess magic ingredients, but it has calories and the all-important liquid. And the warm vapor rising from the bowl can moisten and loosen dried mucus. Taking a hot shower can help that, too. Try blowing your nose one nostril at a time while you are in there. Supplements, Schaffner says, have very little effect, if any. And over-the-counter remedies can relieve symptoms, but they do not kill viruses or bacteria. Cold and fever germs run their course, and the immune system eventually gets the upper hand. And sleep as much as you can to give the body the rest it needs to fight off the illness. For diabetics, colds and the flu are problematic. As our bodies fight disease by releasing hormones, the hormones can make blood glucose levels go up. There are hundreds of cold viruses and new strains of flu that become dominant each year, so staying healthy is an uphill battle. According to the article "Grant yourself Immunity" on the website of Diabetes Forecast magazine (diabetesforecast.org), there are five ways we can strengthen our diabetic immune system: Avoid chronic stress. It can suppress the immune system's ability to recognize invaders and weakens the counterattack. Control blood glucose. Diabetics are no more likely to catch a cold than anyone, but when they get a cold or the flu, it can take longer to get better. A yearly flu shot is recommended. Move it. Physical activity helps relieve stress and has a big impact on immunity. Thirty minutes of moderate physical activity five days a week can do the trick. And regular activity helps us sleep better. Get some rest. Getting enough sleep helps our body maintain a balance of immune cells called monocytes. Not getting enough sleep can lessen our immunity. Eat right. Good nutrition helps diabetics stay in control of blood glucose and maintain a healthy weight. Eat a rainbow of foods, frozen or fresh. Don't drink vast quantities of orange juice for vitamin C. It will raise blood glucose and lead to stomach upset.

THIS APPEARS TO BE A CREDIBLE THREAT

The newest virus circulating is the UPS/Fed Ex/USPS Delivery  Failure.

 

 

You will receive an e-mail from UPS, Fed Ex, or  USPS along with a packet number.

 

 

It will say that they were  unable to deliver a package sent to you on such-and-such a date.

 

 

It  then asks you to print out the invoice copy attached.

 

 

DON'T TRY TO PRINT THIS. IT LAUNCHES THE VIRUS!

 

 

Pass this warning on to all your PC  operators at work and home.

 

snopes.com: Package Delivery Virus

MORE UPDATES ON THOSE SELF-DRIVING CARS

Jaguar Land Rover self-driving cars hit real roads for first time The cars are also capable of communicating with local infrastructure. Land Rover Auto Tech by Andrew Krok November 17, 2017. 

It's one thing to say your company has tested self-driving cars on closed circuits. It's another thing to say that your company has successfully tested those cars on public roads. Now, another automaker is moving from the former statement toward the latter. Jaguar Land Rover announced Friday that it will test its self-driving vehicles on public roads in the United Kingdom. Its vehicles will amble around Coventry as its engineers assess the systems and prepare this technology for an eventual public debut -- which is still years away, it should be noted. Enlarge Image If you see a wacky-looking SUV rolling around Coventry, now you know what it is. Jaguar Land Rover The vehicles in question are based off the Range Rover Sport , which Land Rover has showed off in past months . Many self-driving vehicles carry loads of large, ungainly hardware, but the RR Sport looks pretty tame by comparison, playing host to a few sensors on the bumpers and a roof rack atop the car. As with many other tests, a safety driver sits in the front seat in case human intervention is required. At the same time, JLR is testing vehicle-to-x communication. Using a fleet of Jaguar F-Pace crossovers , these vehicles are capable of communicating with other cars and local infrastructure. The cars can, theoretically, warn a driver if another car encountered a pothole up ahead, if there's road construction on a normal commute route or if there's an optimal speed to ensure that the car hits rolling green lights. JLR says it will continue to test these systems in Coventry through 2018, as its engineers refine and hone the underlying tech in anticipation of an eventual rollout in mass-produced vehicles. Taking its testing to public roads is only the beginning. .

NEW IPHONE COMPARISONS

iPhone X vs. 8 Plus vs. 8: Choose the best iPhone for you Apple's expanding iPhone lineup makes it harder than ever to find a perfect fit. But for most, it comes down to the iPhone X and the 8 Plus. by Scott Stein November 17, 2017. 

Now Playing: Watch this: iPhone 8, 8 Plus or X: Which should you get? 3:42 Picking an iPhone used to be dead simple: just get the new one. But, in 2017, Apple has three new iPhones: a basic iPhone 8 , an upgraded 8 Plus , and a fancy iPhone X . That's not even counting all the other iPhones Apple still sells, too: the iPhone SE , the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, and the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus. That's eight models in total -- it's almost too much. Blow the dust away, and you have three clear iPhone paths to head down: for premium, the iPhone X or iPhone 8 Plus; for mainstream, the iPhone 8; and for a budget choice, the iPhone SE. Sometimes (like with some videos), the 8 Plus (top) vs X (bottom) don't seem that different. Flashy vs. functional Know this: you really can't go wrong with either pick. Unlike previous years where Apple had one clear top-end iPhone, these two split the difference between future-forward design and comfortable, traditional feel. The hardware is in many ways identical, from processor to wireless charging to similar (but slightly different) dual rear cameras. But there are some differences that may help make up your mind. Go with the 8 Plus for an edge on battery life, a familiar home button and interface, a display that's a bit larger for some needs and a lower price. Pick the iPhone X is you're looking for a more compact big-screen phone with a great new design, want to ride the bleeding edge of where Apple's tech is heading next (mainly the front-facing, 3D depth-sensing Face ID camera), and don't mind learning a new gesture language (you'll pick it up). The iPhone X has the looks.  iPhone X: Your top-of-the-line sports car breaks boundaries, but has some drawbacks Advantages: Size: It's the Goldilocks iPhone. The tall, narrow 5.8-inch screen is a perfect middle between the hand-friendly iPhone 8 and larger 8 Plus. Screen: The OLED display pops.  Rear cameras: The X cameras have all the bells and whistles -- 2x optical zoom, optical image stabilization on both lenses -- offering the most complete iPhone camera package to date. Front camera: Front-facing TrueDepth camera can take Portrait photos, do unique AR tricks and 3D mapping for clever tricks like animojis and the next version of Snapchat. That can feel gimmicky, but it's also weirdly fun. Face ID: Touch ID is gone from the iPhone X, but the Face ID feature generally works well. Drawbacks: Price: It's $999 (」999 or AU$1,579) to start, and really $1,149 (」1,149 or AU$1,829) for the model with the storage I'd prefer. Actually, I'd prefer 128GB of storage, but Apple is only offering 64GB and 256GB models, and as always, there's no expandable storage. App optimization: Not all apps perfectly fit the new display and its unusual shape and aspect ratio yet, so it means the X's screen size may not always seem that large. Battery life: Longevity is a step down from the iPhone 8 Plus: I found it got me through a day, but narrowly. And recharging with the included charger is slow. Interface changes: Yes, Face ID works. But with no home button, the interface is different, and that takes getting used to. In fact, it might even annoy you -- Control Center's new "swipe down" gesture is a step down in usability from other iPhones. Durability: Our iPhone X drop test shows the nearly all-glass design may be more fragile than the iPhone 8 and 8 Plus. And, unless you're enrolled in protection like AppleCare, fixing it will be expensive.  Review Apple iPhone X A radical redesign that's nearly all screen includes a new cutting-edge facial recognition feature. But with no more Touch ID or home button, the iPhone X dares you to change your ways. SEE IT $999.00 at Apple The iPhone 8 Plus: Boring but good, and it works great.  iPhone 8 Plus: Your workhorse pick doesn't rock the boat Advantages: Battery life: A longer battery life compared to the iPhone X. Rear cameras: You're getting most (though not all) of the iPhone X's camera strengths, including Portrait Mode for photos and 2x optical zoom. Traditional 16x9 screen: While the 5.5-inch screen is technically a bit smaller than that of the 5.8-inch iPhone X, it has the more familiar 16x9 aspect ratio of your HDTV -- the size that's already best optimized for most videos, apps and games. Some iPad-like app features: The 8 Plus includes landscape mode and in-app split-screen for some apps (Mail, Notes and others) that aren't available on the narrower screen on the X. Drawbacks: OIS only on one rear camera: The 8 Plus lacks optical image stabilization on one of its two rear cameras. In the real world, that means the X has the advantage on low-light photos and some Portrait Mode shots. No fancy front camera tricks: No TrueDepth front camera means no Portrait Mode in selfie photos, and no iPhone X 3D-scanning face app tricks, including animojis. Not as hand-friendly as the X: The Plus just feels a lot less comfortable to hold, especially for anyone who lacks larger hands. Me-too looks: The 8 Plus looks just like every other older iPhone Plus since 2014.  It's just as fast as the iPhone X, has a longer battery life, and, well, it still has the home button. The iPhone 8 Plus is a great pick for anyone not ready for Face ID. SEE IT $980.00 at Amazon.com It's... fine! It's the iPhone 8.  iPhone 8: A fine phone, but one that no longer stands out The 8 is, all of a sudden, the odd duck in the new iPhone lineup. It's got better speed and cameras than last year's iPhone, and the option to use wireless charging accessories. But it already feels old compared to the iPhone X. True, you're spending $300 to step up to the X, though spreading payments over 24 or 30 months can get that price increase down to as little as $10 per billing cycle. But then, if you don't want to spend that much, consider whether you should wait on getting an iPhone at all, or get a budget alternative? The iPhone 7 and iPhone 6S (and their larger Plus siblings) are still being sold, now at their lowest price ever. But I wouldn't suggest buying one over the 8: Their older processors are bound to hit update snags for future versions of iOS before the 8 will, so at some point -- iOS 13, iOS 14, whatever -- you may not be able to get the latest operating system update, or take advantage of all its features. But if you already own a 6S or 7, you could just stay put for another year and see where the 2018 version of the iPhone X lands as far as price. Advantages: Price: The 8 is the least expensive new-for-2017 iPhone. Same basic specs as 8 Plus and X: The 8 has the same fast processor, camera image sensor and wireless charging feature as the 8 Plus and the X. Compact size and feel: The body -- and its 4.7-inch screen -- is nicely pocketable. Disadvantages: No dual camera tricks: The lack of the dual rear cameras on the 8 Plus and the X means no optical zoom and no Portrait Mode. In other words, you're losing two of the best camera features on modern iPhones. Smallish screen, old-fashioned body: As with the Plus, the iPhone 8 looks basically the same as its predecessors from the past three years. And its 4.7-inch screen is the smallest among 2017 iPhones. Not much different from iPhone 7: since it's lacking the extra bonus camera features of the newer models, the 8 feels closer to a modest upgrade over last year's 7, and more skippable.  Apple iPhone 8 Apple's baseline 2017 phone gives up a few things the Plus and X have, but it has a lot going on under the hood. SEE IT $849.00 at Apple You could get an iPhone SE, Apple Watch and AirPods for less than an iPhone X. Sarah Tew/CNET The iPhone SE: Still the best budget option Finally, I'd point any discount shoppers to the iPhone SE , a phone that debuted in 2016 but still feels good to use, sports a great battery life, and is far more affordable than other iPhones. Keep in mind it's basically an iPhone 6S jammed into the older body of an iPhone 5S. You're missing out on a bunch of newer iPhone features, including the pressure-sensitive 3D Touch screen. But... it works nicely, is far more compact, and does the job for basic everyday phone things. If it's offered at a good discount, it's still worth buying as a basic iPhone. Apple offers 32GB and 128GB versions right now. The 128GB is a good upgrade if you're planning on taking lots of photos and video. Advantages: Super-compact size Really good battery life Still takes good photos and video Price is nearly a third of an iPhone X Has a headphone jack Disadvantages: Isn't water resistant Smaller 4-inch screen is harder to read No wireless charging Older processor bound to age out faster as newer versions of iOS arrive Lacks newer iPhone camera quality upgrades and features CNET Review Apple iPhone SE If you're not waiting it out for the iPhone 8, the little SE is the best choice for a basic more budget-friendly iPhone. SEE IT $399.99 at Best Buy What about Android? Remember that iPhones aren't the only fish in the smartphone sea. We've seen more and better Android choices in 2017 than ever before. If you're not bound by iOS, check out the competitors from Samsung, LG, OnePlus and Motorola. And remember that we'll probably see the Samsung Galaxy S9 unveiled as soon as March, if the company follows its traditional release schedule. .. 

GET A OG-LIVE LONGER

Get a dog, it might help you live longer, study says Go thank your pooch, then take it for a brisk walk. Swedish research shows that dog owners are less likely to die of cardiovascular disease. by Gael Fashingbauer Cooper November 17, 2017. :   

Dear humans: You're welcome. Walking the dog keeps us both healthy.  As a dog, I only actually come into contact with words on paper when I chew up your kid's homework (you thought she was lying, huh?). But the journal Scientific Reports has published a Swedish study that says dogs may help their owners live longer. I'm going to call that a lab report, because dog-breed puns are pawsome. Researchers at Sweden's Uppsala University doggedly dug into the national registry records of 3.4 million Swedes aged 40 to 80 with no history of cardiovascular disease, and followed them for 11 years. They matched up their hospital records with Sweden's dog-ownership registry and learned that dog owners had a 15 percent lower risk of death caused by cardiovascular disease in that time period than non-dog owners. (Swedes are required to register their dogs, unlike Americans.) Those smart enough to own dogs also had a 11 percent lower risk of death from other causes (again, only during this 11-year period -- even the best dog can't make you immortal). If you live alone, even better news -- single people who lived with a dog showed a 36 percent lower risk of cardiovascular related death, and a 33 percent lower risk of death from other causes. (The study points out that this may be because they can't make their spouse, kid or roommate handle half the walks.) I'm going to translate that as: The next time I scratch longingly at the door for walkies, take me out. The life you save could be your own. The authors admit that dog owners may just be more active and healthy to begin with, part of why they commit to a pet who demands multiple daily walks, as opposed to, say, a cat that just lazes around the house and poops in a box. NOT JUDGING. "We know that dog owners in general have a higher level of physical activity, which could be one explanation to the observed results," said Tove Fall, senior author of the study . "Other explanations include an increased well-being and social contacts or effects of the dog on the bacterial microbiome in the owner. Bacterial microwho? That last bit is referring to microorganisms in one's body, and I might be changing yours, in a good way. "It's thought a dog may influence its owner's microbiomes as dogs change the dirt in home environments, exposing people to bacteria they may not have encountered otherwise," the BBC points out . Now that you know all this, can we go for a walk, canwe, canwe, huh, huh, canwe? Really though, don't thank me. It's the leashed I could do.  

WHAT YOU MAY NOT WANT TO KNOW

Your Thanksgiving meal may contain thousands of calories worth of food.  

Gobble, gobble indeed: Though calculations vary, Americans could consume several days' worth of calories on Thanksgiving. "A typical holiday dinner alone can carry a load of 3,000 calories," the Calorie Control Council (CCC), an association representing the reduced-calorie food and beverage industry says, noting that "many nibble through another 1,500 calories, downing appetizers and drinks before and after the big meal. The CCC says a normal Thanksgiving meal has 3,150 calories and 159 grams of fat. That includes some appetizers, turkey, several side dishes, a glass of sweet tea, a slice of pecan pie and the use of a tablespoon of butter. There have also been lower-calorie estimates. Looking at a different assortment of dishes and portion sizes, the New York Times reported in 2012 that a Thanksgiving meal contains 2,486 calories. That figure didn't include any beverages. However, the calories in your Turkey Day dinner be much higher than either estimate. It ranges, but on average anywhere from 3,000 to 4,500 calories. . That range is just for the Thanksgiving meal and desserts -- and doesn't include appetizers.  Calories in your Thanksgiving meal can be reduced several ways.  If these amounts seem steep, Zuckerbrot had several options for a lower-calorie Thanksgiving meal. Those include: - 6 ounces of white, skinless turkey (220 calories and 6 grams of fat) instead of 6 ounces of dark meat turkey with skin (374 calories and 12 grams of fat) - 1 'cup' of mashed cauliflower (60 calories) instead of 1 'cup' of regular mashed potatoes (237 calories) - 1/2 'cup' of baked sweet potato (80 calories) over 1 'cup' sweet potatoes with marshmallows (610 calories) When it comes to dessert,  "go topless" and pick a slice of pumpkin pie, which doesn't have a top crust. A pumpkin pie slice has 316 calories, versus 526 calories in a slice of pecan pie and 436 calories in a double-crust slice of apple pie.  Treat Thanksgiving like a regular dinner. "Don't walk in ravenous. Have your breakfast and have your lunch.  Eating lunch.  Offsets an inclination to later overeat during the big meal.  Have people bring a low-calorie appetizer instead of an entree, and to also help out the hostess. That way you can "keep hands busy and away from the buffet. 

ON THE LIGHTER SIDE

School Choice
When I went with my daughter to visit a prestigious university, our student guide pointed out the nationally ranked library and state-of-the-art science facilities. She told us that the professors were the best in the world, and she recommended my daughter apply early to improve her chances for admission. "We get so many applicants," she boasted, "because of the stature of the school." After the tour I asked our guide, "So, why did you choose this school?" "Oh," she replied in a matter-of-fact way, "my boyfriend goes here."

It's Gone

The bride was anything but a tidy housekeeper. It didn't bother her much until one evening when her husband called from the hall, somewhat dismayed: "Honey, what happened to the dust on this table? I had a phone number written in it."

How to Clean the House

1. Open a new file in your computer.
2. Name it "Housework."
3. Save and then send it to the RECYCLE BIN.
4. Empty the RECYCLE BIN.
5. Your PC will ask you, "Are you sure you want to delete Housework permanently?"
6. Calmly answer, "Yes," and press the mouse button firmly.

Feel better?

Short Thoughts

• Hard work pays off in the future; laziness pays off now.
• A self-addressed envelope would be addressed to "Envelope," right?

Neat Trick

On a visit to New York, an Englishman and a Scotsman go to a pastry shop. The Englishman whisks three cookies into his pocket with lightning speed. The baker doesn't notice. The Englishman says to the Scotsman: "You see how clever we are? You'll never beat that!" The Scotsman says to the Englishman: "Watch this, a Scotsman is always more clever than an Englishman." He says to the baker, "Give me a cookie, I can show you a magic trick!" The baker gives him the cookie which the Scotsman promptly eats. Then he says to the baker: "Give me another cookie for my magic trick." The baker is getting suspicious but he gives it to him. He eats this one too. Then he says again: "Give me one more cookie..." The baker is getting angry now but gives him one anyway. The Scotsman eats this one too. Now the baker is really mad, and he yells: "And where is your famous magic trick?" The Scotsman says: "Look in the Englishman's pocket!"

SMART DEVICES TO HELP AT HOME

Smart-home products are often marketed for their convenience, but the technology also can help people with disabilities become more independent. Smart-home products are objects connected via Wi-Fi or a different technology to other things in the home; they can be controlled remotely by a touch panel or an app on a device. Smart-home technology remains a nascent category, but some consumer products include functions that previously were found in assistive devices. Smartphones, tablets and Wi-Fi-connected homes made the overlap possible, said Stephen Ewell, executive director of the Consumer Technology Association Foundation. Apps use smartphone accessibility features, such as voice commands or touchscreens, opening interaction with various home technologies. The consumer market's economies of scale can make smart home products cheaper and with better technology than assistive devices, he said. Attractively designed smart-home products also remove the stigma some people with disabilities feel when using a clinical-looking device, Ewell said. "What I hear more and more from the disabled community is that they really are looking for the same devices that the general consumer market is looking for," he said. The people with disabilities and product manufacturers are just starting to realize the empowering potential in these products, said Cristen Reat, co-founder of BridgingApps, a program of Easter Seals Greater Houston. One of the top smart-home devices is Amazon's Echo line, which use Amazon's Alexa voice service, said Reat and Alexander Glazebrook, director of training and technology for Older Adults Technology Services in New York. The Echo Dot ($49.99) is Amazon's voice-activated speaker, and the newest product is the Echo Show, ($229.99), which has video-call integration. Reat said Echo can be used for audiobooks and voice shopping, and it even picks up communication devices used by nonverbal people. "Voice shopping is tremendous for people with disabilities. Someone with a cognitive impairment can be taught to order things," she said. Reat said she was very impressed that Echo recognized robotic voice commands. "That's a huge impact for people who cannot speak for themselves and rely on technology to speak for them," she said. Glazebrook said the senior citizens his group works with enjoy interacting with Echo, and he sees a lot of promise that the Echo Show's video capability could reduce the feeling of isolation in the elderly. Smart locks and smart doorbells offer convenience and safety for people with disabilities and their caregivers. Popular lock brands include August Smart Lock (starting at $149) and Schlage (starting at $199), while a top smart doorbell is Ring (starting at $179). "Smart doorbells are good for all ages. Ring has a video camera on the doorbell, and you can see on your computer (or phone) who it is and communicate through the doorbell, even if you're not at home," Glazebrook said. Reat said smart locks make it easier for people with disabilities to enter and exit the home, and caregivers don't have to run home to let someone in or give out permanent keys, since they can control entry from their phone. Some higher-end smart locks have video cameras. Reat said smart ceiling fans, such as the Signal line from Hunter Fan ($349), combine safety and comfort. Especially in hot areas, ceiling fans help with circulation, but manual fans can be difficult for people with disabilities if they require standing to switch speeds or direction. Money can be a problem for people with disabilities, as many cannot work, Reat said. An inexpensive way to add smart technology is with smart switches, such as those from iDevices (starting at $29.95) or Belkin's WeMo (starting at $34.99). Users plug manual objects into the smart switch, and the object can be controlled from their smartphone. Smart light bulbs, such as Philips Hue ($99.99 for a starter kit), are energy efficient and come in color palates, Glazebrook said. Not only can users control them remotely, they can change the colors if they're sensitive to lights. "I love that product. I've had it close to four to five years, and they've not gone out," he said. 

TIME OF INJURY AFFECTS HEALING

Nighttime skin injuries heal about 60 percent slower than daytime skin injuries.  

Be careful of things that go bump in the night, especially if those bumps lead to skin injuries: A new study from England finds that skin injuries that happen at night heal more slowly than those that take place during the day. Nighttime skin injuries heal about 60 percent slower than daytime skin injuries, according to the study, published today (Nov. 8) in the journal Science Translational Medicine . The reason for this may lie in the circadian rhythms of the skin cells, which, like nearly all cells in the body, operate on a 24-hour cycle and go into a bit of a lull at night. But the researchers were even more surprised that not only does the healing process slow down at night, but also that the time of the injury completely determines how fast the injury will heal. "What we found is that how well you can heal depends on the time when you got injured," said lead study author Ned Hoyle, a molecular biology researcher at Cambridge University in the U.K. "The speed of the healing depends on how fast certain cells can get to the wounded area in order to repair it, and that depends on their micro-architecture, which is controlled by the biological clock. To study the timing of wound healing, the researchers first looked at skin cells called fibroblasts that were grown in lab dishes over the course of several days, Hoyle told Live Science. These cells are found in the deepest layer of the skin, called the dermis. When an injury occurs, the fibroblasts travel up to the surface, where they're tasked with synthesizing and building the structural support of the new skin, which includes the so-called extracellular matrix and collagen. But depending on the time of day, the speed at which the fibroblasts move up to the skin's surface varies, thanks to a protein found in the cells called actin, the researchers found. Actin is a protein that forms an important part of the cytoskeleton - the supportive structure that gives the cell its shape. When the cells are told by their biological clock to "sleep," the shape of the actin proteins changes. "We found that during daytime, the actin has mostly the form of long filaments, while at night, the majority of it is in a globular form," Hoyle said. "We know that the actin filaments are very important in allowing cells to move. 

DRIVERLESS SHUTTLE

close Self-driving shuttle involved in collision on day of debut An automated driverless shuttle bus debuts in Las Vegas and on the same day a semi-truck backs up into it. An automated driverless shuttle was involved in an accident hours after it debuted in the streets of downtown Las Vegas on Wednesday. Those involved in the conception of the project have said the shuttle was not at fault. "The exciting thing is that the vehicle did exactly what it was programmed to do. This is a really good real-world case of how the technology actually works, said John Moreno, a spokesperson for The American Automobile Association (AAA,) who is a sponsor on the project. "So the shuttle came to a complete stop, a semi-truck driver was backing up and unfortunately continued to back up and may not have seen the shuttle and grazed the front bumper of it," Moreno added, "The shuttle recognized that the semi-truck was backing up and as it's programmed to do, it stopped. The shuttle suffered minor scrapes after the collision (Fox News) AAA and transportation company Keolis conducted a review of the all-electric, eight-seat Navya ARMA vehicle and found the shuttle did everything it was designed to do in the incident. The shuttle did have to pause service for the remainder of the day so the review could be done, but it was still operational and drove away from the scene. There was slight cosmetic damage to the vehicle. No one was injured in the collision, but spectators and the curious flocked to see the unfortunate occurrence. In a statement, the City of Las Vegas said, "The autonomous shuttle was testing today when it was grazed by a delivery truck downtown. The shuttle did what it was supposed to do, in that it's sensors registered the truck and the shuttle stopped to avoid the accident. Unfortunately the delivery truck did not stop and grazed the front fender of the shuttle. Had the truck had the same sensing equipment that the shuttle has the accident would have been avoided. Testing of the shuttle will continue during the 12-month pilot in the downtown Innovation District. Metro Police cited the driver of the delivery truck. The pilot program will run for a year and it is free to ride. It travels in a 0.6 mile loop in the central downtown of Vegas, their so-called "Innovation District" that has been testing new integrated technologies that are compatible with city living. A human attendant remains on the shuttle in case there are kinks in the new technology that require him or her to manually steer itwith a remote-control like console. "This is the future and having an opportunity to be the first to be able to ride something like this is just like getting a brand new phone, everyone wants to be first one with the brand new iPhone, says Maurice Bell, Vice President of Mobility Solutions for Keolis, the operator of the shuttle. Highlighting the unique nature of the technology, Bell added, "It's the first of its kind in the United States that's integrated with street signals. The shuttle knows when the street signals are going to change from one color to the next.

VETERAN'S DAY

THIS IS VETERAN’S DAY

 

Today is Veteran’s Day and we all should take a moment to be thankful for our dedicated veterans.  All the members of our military deserve our appreciation and gratitude.  They have and do sacrifice a lot for this nation.  For this we all benefit so:

 

THANK YOU

 

For all you have done to keep this nation safe and free.   May God bless you for all you do.

 

DO YOU EVER WONDER WHY

Once you're in heaven, do you get stuck wearing the clothes you were buried in for eternity? 

Why does a round pizza come in a square box? 

What disease did cured ham actually have? 

How is it that we put man on the moon before we figured out it would be a good idea to put wheels on luggage? 

Why is it that people say they 'slept like a baby' when babies wake up like every two hours? 

Why are you IN a movie, but you're ON TV?

Why do people pay to go up tall buildings and then put money in binoculars to look at things on the ground? 

Why do doctors leave the room while you change?

They're going to see you naked anyway...

Why is 'bra' singular and 'panties' plural?

Why do toasters always have a setting that burns the toast to a horrible crisp, which no decent human being would eat?

If Jimmy cracks corn and no one cares, why is there a stupid song about him? 

Why does Goofy stand erect while Pluto remains on all fours? They're both dogs!

If corn oil is made from corn, and vegetable oil is made from vegetables, what is baby oil made from?

Do the Alphabet song and Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star have the same tune?

Why did you just try singing the two songs above?

Did you ever notice that when you blow in a dog's

face, he gets mad at you, but when you take him for a car ride, he sticks his head out the window? 

Why, Why, Why

do we press harder on a remote control when we know the batteries are getting dead? 

Why do banks charge a fee on 'insufficient funds' when they know there is not enough money?

Why does someone believe you when you say there are four 

billion stars, but check when you say the paint is wet?

Why do they use sterilized needles 

for death by lethal injection?

Why doesn't Tarzan have a beard?

Why does Superman stop bullets with his chest, but ducks when you throw a revolver at him?

Why do Kamikaze pilots wear helmets?

If people evolved from apes, why are there still apes?

Why is it that no matter what color bubble bath you use the bubbles are always white?

Is there ever a day that mattresses 

are not on sale?

Why do they put an expiration date on sour cream?

Why do people constantly return to the refrigerator with hopes that something new to eat will have materialized?

Why do people keep running over a thread a dozen times with their vacuum cleaner, then reach down, pick it up, examine it, then put it down to give the

vacuum one more chance? 

Why is it that no plastic bag will open from the end on your first try?

How do those dead bugs get into those enclosed light 

fixtures?

Why is it that whenever you attempt to catch something that's falling off the table you always manage to knock something else over? 

In winter why do we try to keep the house as warm as it was in summer when we complained about the heat?

How come you never hear father-in-law jokes?

Why do we drive on a parkway and park on a driveway?

 How important does a person have to be before they are considered assassinated instead of just murdered?

 

LAUGHTER-GOOD FOR THE SOUL

Being Prepared
A lady lost her purse while shopping. It was found by an honest little boy and returned to her. Looking in her purse, she commented, "That's funny. When I lost my bag there was a $100 bill in it. Now there are 100 $1 bills." The boy quickly replied, "That's right, lady. The last time I found a lady's purse and she didn't have any change for a reward."

The Visitor

There was this lady who was visiting a church one Sunday. The sermon seemed to go on forever, and many in the congregation fell asleep. After the service, she walked up to a very sleepy-looking gentleman, extended her hand in greeting, and said, "Hello, I'm Gladys Dunn." And the gentleman replied, "You're not the only one, ma'am, I'm glad it's done too!!"

Imponderables

• How do "Stay off the Grass" signs get there?
• How come wrong numbers are never busy?

Sign Language

A Florida officer pulled over an eighty-six-year-old woman because her hand signals were confusing. "First you put your hand up, like you're turning right, then you wave your hand up and down, then you turn left," said the officer. "I decided not to turn right," she explains. "Then why the up and down?" asks the officer. "Officer," she sniffs, "I was erasing!"

Sorry, Dad

When we moved cross-country, my wife and I decided to drive both of our cars. Nathan, our eight-year-old, worriedly asked, "How will we keep from getting separated?" "We'll drive slowly so that one car can follow the other," I reassured him. "Yeah, but what if we DO get separated?" he persisted. "Well, then I guess we'll never see each other again," I quipped. "Okay," he said. "I'm riding with Mom."

DON'T RESTRICT THAT SNEEZE

When you hold in a sneeze, air and pressure can travel up your Eustachian tubes-small passageways linking your throat to your middle ear-and cause your eardrum to rupture.  

It's always the worst time when that urge to sneeze hits-a quiet movie theater, an elevator packed with people, or right before you lean in you kiss your date goodnight. There are just some times when you don't want to spray snot all over the place. So is it safe to hold in a sneeze? We checked in with experts to find out what's exactly behind your sneezing, and what can happen to your body if you try to snuffle one. Why do we sneeze in the first place? Sneezing is a complex physiological reflex. It occurs when you breathe in an irritating substance or particle, which passes through your nostrils into the lining of your nose. This triggers a release of histamine, irritating the nerve cells in your nasal lining that travels from your trigeminal nerve-which provides sensation to your face-to your brain, explained Dale Amanda Tylor, M.D., M.P.H., otolaryngologist at ENT Associates of Santa Barbara. (Nasal congestion or allergies can spark the release of histamine, too.) FDA WARNS ON 'POT CURES CANCER' CLAIMS When your brain gets the signal, it activates your throat muscles, and tells your lungs to release a powerful burst of air through your windpipe, she says. This release of air occurs to push out the particles that are irritating your nose. "Sneezes are so powerful that [your snot can] travel the dimensions of a room and land up to 6 to 8 meters away," said Erich Voigt, M.D., clinical associate professor in the department of otolaryngology at NYU Langone Health. What happens if you hold in a sneeze? All that pressure has to go somewhere. "If you keep the mouth or nose closed, the generated pressure will back up into your head (sinuses), nasal cavity, or down the throat back into the chest," said Voigt. "Suppressing the sneeze by holding the nose or mouth leads to a noticeable increase in pressure, about 5 to 24 times of that during a normal sneeze. Still, snuffling a sneeze is so quick, so that rise in pressure is over fast. That means it can't be harmful, right? Well, not exactly. "It's kind of like saying that when Floyd Mayweather punches you, his glove is in contact with your face for only a fraction of a second," said Ahmad R. Sedaghat, M.D., Ph.D., assistant professor in the department of otolaryngology at Harvard Medical School. "But because the force/pressure during that fraction of second is so high, it can do real damage. What are the health effects of holding in a sneeze? That trapped pressure can be the reason that holding in a sneeze can be dangerous, he said. For one, your ears can be at risk. When you hold in a sneeze, air and pressure can travel up your Eustachian tubes-small passageways linking your throat to your middle ear-and cause your eardrum to rupture. BOY'S CONCUSSION SYMPTOMS LEAD TO TUMOR DIAGNOSIS "In the more severe case, instead of the air rupturing the ear drum, it leads to rupture of the delicate structures of the inner ear causing permanent hearing loss," Sedaghat said. The pressure of holding in a sneeze can also cause you to pop a small blood vessel in your eye, nose, or eardrum, but that's very rare, said Tylor. It's also extremely rare, but holding in a sneeze can cause the rupture of aneurysm, a condition where part of your artery wall weakens, causing a bulge. "With an aneurysm, a weak part of [a blood vessel in the brain] could rupture at any time, or never rupture at all-but a sudden change in intracranial pressure could cause it to rupture," said Tylor. "That would probably less common than getting struck by lightning. And before you freak out, the people most at risk of the serious injuries generally have health conditions that leave them more susceptible, like abnormal blood vessels, or have had recent sinus, vascular, or brain surgery, or a head, neck or chest injury of some kind, said Voigt. Bottom line: Should you hold in your sneeze? Let them rip: The function of the sneeze is to allow a release of pressure. If you hold it in, not only are you not allowing your body to do its job-clear out those nasal irritants-but you're also putting your body at risk by containing that pressure. Still, if there is a time when you really don't want to sneeze, you can try to stimulate your other sensory nerves, which can help block your sneeze reflex, said Tylor. By blocking it at that step, you wouldn't be trapping any pressure.  You can sometimes prevent it by blowing the nose, or pressing on the region of the lip just below the nose, or rubbing the nose," she said. And if you do sneeze, make sure you follow proper sneezing etiquette when it comes to spreading germs. "Covering with a hand, which most of us were taught as kids, is now considered outdated advice," said Tylor. "The name of the game now is sneeze into your elbow (which you don't use to touch things like doorknobs or tablet screens or keyboards) or to sneeze into a tissue and then wash your hands right after. It's not that this method diminishes your spray of saliva and mucus, but since you don't touch a lot with your elbow, you're essentially protecting others from viral or bacterial particles in your sneeze. 

BEST BUY AND ALEXA

Best Buy opens its store on Amazon Alexa The big-box electronics retailer joins a growing list of sellers offering their products through voice shopping.  

Another major US retailer has decided to jump into voice shopping just before the holiday season. Best Buy said Friday it's now selling limited categories of its products through the Amazon Alexa smart assistant. Customers will be able to learn about and purchase the big-box retailer's Deal of the Day products. Also, for those shopping for a TV or laptop, Alexa will be able to ask customers a series of questions and recommend products based on their needs. For instance, with TVs, Alexa will ask in which room the device will be located and if a customer wants a smart TV. Best Buy is the latest major brick-and-mortar retailer to make its products available for voice shopping in the US, with both Walmart and Target joining in the trend last month . Other businesses like Domino's and Uber also offer their services through Alexa and Google Assistant. All these companies are starting to experiment with voice shopping in hopes of learning about the new sales channel and how their customers may use it. But, it doesn't appear most shoppers are yet using voice to buy stuff , according to a survey this week from IFTTT. While Walmart and Target decided to go with Google Assistant and avoid teaming up with a rival retailer like Amazon, Best Buy is taking a different tack by teaming up with both Google and Amazon. Best Buy last month integrated with the Google Assistant in Canada, letting users hear about sales, learn more about products and find their nearby stores. The retailer also opted to add displays for both Google Home and Amazon Echo smart speaker, which house their voice assistants, in 700 stores . To shop with Best Buy using your Amazon Echo or other Alexa-powered device, you'll need to enable the new Best Buy skill and then log into your Best Buy account through Alexa. Then say, "Alexa, talk to Best Buy," to get started. Best Buy spokeswoman Carly Charlson said her company is looking into adding more product categories to its Alexa skill in the future. "We're exploring, we're just getting started," she said. 'Alexa, be more human' : Inside Amazon's effort to make its voice assistant smarter, chattier and more like you. The Smartest Stuff : Innovators are thinking up new ways to make you, and the things around you, smarter.

DOLLAR GENERAL SPECIALS THIS WEEK

Buying Groceries on a Budget

Hope you are adjusting to the extra hour that we got by switching to Daylight Saving Time today. Last week, I suggested that you put extra healthy items in your baggy as you shop, so if the weather gets bad and you can’t get to store you will have something on hand. Another item that needs attention is the batteries in your smoke alarm and carbon dioxide alarm. It is recommend to change the batteries out every time we change the time forward and back. Winter is here and the stoves, heaters, fire places and etc will be cranking up to keep us warm. We want these alarms working to alert us. Always have a plan should an emergency arise.

 

Dollar General Sale Dates November 5 – November 11, 2017 

Dollar General Special 3 day Sale Dates November 9 – November 11, 2017

Regular Sale:

Post Cereals Assorted Varieties 11-14.5 oz 3/$6.00 Must buy 3 to get discount price

Carnation Evaporated Milk 12 oz $1.00; Sugar Domino Canister 4 lbs $3.00; Clover Valley Condensed Soups 10.5-10.75 oz or canned broth Regular .65-.75 now 2/$1.00; Hormel Corn Beef or Roast Beef Hash 15 oz 2/$4; Libby’s Canned Vegetables 14.5-15.25 BOGO FREE Save .80 Must buy 2 to get discount price

Smithfield Sausage Roll 16 oz $3.00; Smithfield Bacon 12 oz $3.95; Philadelphia cream cheese block 8 oz $1.65

Clover Valley Crackers Saltines, Golden Round or Vegetable round 10-16 oz $1.50; Ritz fresh stack original or whole wheat 11.6-11.8 oz $2.50; Imperial Mix Nuts Salted or Lightly Salted 8 oz $2.00

3 day Sale:

Cheese Nips Crackers 11 oz Regular $1.95 now $1.50; Nabisco Premium Crackers 16 oz Regular $2.60 now $2.00

MORE UPDATES ON THOSE SELF DRIVINNG CARS

Self-driving cars parked at Uber's ATG office in Pittsburgh

Uber's next generation of self-driving cars could be on the road as early as the end of this year. 

The second generation of its autonomous vehicles is being developed on Uber's test track, an Uber spokeswoman said.  

Uber's self-driving vehicles made their debut in Pittsburgh in 2016 and have been picking up passengers ever since. 

Current models require one or two vehicle operators, Uber Hardware Engineer Brian Zajac said.  An Uber employee sits in the driver's seat and is ready to take over the vehicle when the computer system tells the opertator it needs to go off self-driving mode. Another employee sits in the passenger seat monitoring a map that displays what the vehicle's sensors see in real-time, including bikers, pedestrians and other vehicles. Customers can see what the car "sees" through an iPad provided in the back seat. 

The next generation is a step closer to having no vehicle operators, Zajac said. 

"In the far future, there won't be any vehicle operator," Zajac said. "The car rolls up, there's no human inside at all, and the customer gets in and takes a ride. 

Some of the more immediate changes, which will be incorporated into the third generation of autonomous vehicles, are not easily visible. 

"From the outside, a lot looks the same, but under the hood, we've made a whole bunch of improvements," Zajac said. 

One of those improvements is a higher resolution set of cameras. 

"That extra resolution allows the sensors to see a little bit farther which allows the system to drive a little bit faster," Zajac said. 

The cameras will also have a better cleaning system for inclement weather. 

"It's been redesigned to handle heavier rain and to handle other types of contamination that gets on our cameras," Zajac said. 

The camera system will also have fewer parts to assemble, which would make it easier to mass produce in the future. 

Current models have limited trunk space that's shared with computer equipment. The new version will give passengers the full trunk space of the vehicle.